A Lost Memory - A New Beginning
by CallMeAsh
Summary: Ten years ago, a Konoha jounin named Shima Himura was declared killed in action; earning her a place on the Memorial Stone. On a mission to the Village Hidden in the Sand, Kakashi Hatake makes the discovery that his once-comrade wasn't dead at all; she was alive and well as a rogue assassin with a deadly case of amnesia. This is about Shima's second chance; something few ninja get.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any shape or form, but I do own the original characters and plot I create.

Author's Note: Now, I know what some of you might be thinking. Childhood friend of Kakashi? What? Yes, I am well aware that Kakashi didn't really _do _friends when he was a kid. However... I simply couldn't resist. Besides, some of the little flashbacks give a bit of insight as to why Kakashi does some of the things he does

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Chapter One

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Golden rays of light fell onto the lone figure standing before the Memorial Stone. His messy silver hair rippled in the breeze. A sigh escaped his lips. He reached out a hand to trace the names of his teammates. His finger lingered over each letter before traveling to the next. "How long has it been, Obito? Rin?" His voice was sad and quiet, not meant for anyone's ears besides his own. He sighed again before tracing the name of another lost comrade. This one didn't have the same sense of guilt of the other two, but the raw feeling of loss was exactly the same. With a silent goodbye, Kakashi turned away from the stone to receive a new mission.

_"Do you think I'll make a good shinobi, Scarecrow?" She stared into the sky, searching for an answer to some unknown question. Her burgundy hair fell down her back as she leaned her head upward. _

_ He looked at her with his dark eyes and smiled. "I think so." She looked over to him sitting beside her, smiling in return. _

_ "As long as you have faith in me, Scarecrow, I know I will be." _

The back of her neck burned. Her feminine hand moved to soothe the pain. The coolness of her flesh calmed the burning sensation. The remnants of the forgotten memory vanished as the burning subsided.

Every time she had a flashback to a time her mind couldn't reach, her neck burned like fire. It's been that way for a few months. So many times she caught herself wondering what it meant. What the burning had to do with the memories she didn't even know she had was a thought never far from her mind.

Genbo stopped walking. He turned his head to look at his student. "What is it?" His haggard voice brought her back to the present. He narrowed his brown eyes at her, his brown hair sticking up.

"Tell me again why I have no memories dating further back than my fourteenth birthday?" She looked directly into his cold gaze. He wasn't one for questions, but she didn't really care.

"Head concussions can do that to someone, even a ninja like yourself." He continued walking, signaling that that was the only answer she would get. His steps were light for someone as large as him. She put her remaining questions aside, following her teacher in silence.

The trees swayed gently in the wind. Birds chirped in the skies. Listening closely, one could hear the sound of water flowing nearby. The forest was a second home to her. Her first was coming into sight. The large, imposing manor darkened the distance.

_Scarecrow. _That name hovered in her mind.

Zaku sat patiently in an oversized chair fit for a king. This man was no king. She gazed at him suspiciously. Every time they met she had to force away a chill crawling up her spine. She kept her breathing even, her eyes still. Fear was not an option, not a possibility.

The man before them was a very powerful ninja, but also a very lazy one. If he deemed a task unworthy of his time he'd send his lackeys to do it for him.

"Shima, it's so wonderful to have you back home." His voice was ice to her ears. She was among his favored shinobi. He wasn't secretive about it. "I've missed you." The words made her bones chill.

Just looking at him, no one would be able to tell how deadly and merciless he could be. The way his loose black hair was tied up and his slender form all made you think he wasn't so bad. But a good look into those pale crimson eyes and one could see all the terrible things he was capable of.

"A young man by the name of Koj has something I would like to possess." He played casually with a strand of his hair. "The scroll has a technique that I have yet to collect. He'll be guarded by elite ninja, but I'm sure that won't be any trouble. Bring both Koj and the scroll to me." He threw a picture of their target to Genbo.

Shima and Genbo bowed their heads. "Yes, Master." She felt sick at calling him that, but there was nothing she could do. She didn't want to bring another man here to be tortured. They turned to find their target.

"Oh, and one more thing," he smiled, "no one besides the target is to live."

Outside of the manor, Shima let out a heavy breath. "He gives me the creeps!" She pushed a hand through her messy hair, frowning. Her hands grasped the match in her hand. She shifted through her pocket to find a cigarette. Genbo tossed her one as he saw her frustrated face. She lit it up without hesitation. Blowing the match out, she took a long drag of the tobacco.

"He pays well. You like those expensive cigs, don't you?" Genbo tightened the rope tied around his head. He zipped up the tan, sleeveless overcoat they both wore.

"I guess." She pulled the bandages around her neck up to hide the lower half of her face.

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_"Did you pass?" He waited outside patiently, hoping to hear good news. He watched her sad, slow steps. She stood in front of him with her head down. Tears were threatening to spill over. She shook her head; no. "It's because you always get too excited." He put a hand on her head, rubbing softly. "I'll help you pass the next one." He smiled at her, but she could only see the movement of his eyes. _

Kakashi watched the fire dance within the fire pit. It flames curved and swayed. The flames reflected in his dark eyes. They had been walking since noon. He was tempted to pull out his book, but refrained in front of the client. Guy was boasting about the score of 44 to 43 loudly. When Kakashi began ignoring him, the fellow Jounin challenged him to another battle once their mission was through. Asuma watched them both with uninterested eyes.

"Are you sure it is wise to stop?" Koj, their client, fiddled his thumbs nervously. He was a scroll maker from a distant land. He had asked the Third for an escort to the Hidden Village in the Sand. It was a B-ranked mission, nothing too exciting.

"What are you so afraid of, Koj? We will protect you." Kakashi looked at the client who was practically shaking in his skin. The man was frightened.

"Dangerous men want the scrolls I make. Techniques long forgotten have been rebirthed by my hand." He held his bag tightly.

Kakashi grew silent.

The sun was rising. The sky was turning a pretty blue. The trees were silent as they were caressed by the morning breeze. It was a quiet morning.

His hands were shoved into his pockets, his fingers brushing against the cool of a kunai. Just in case. His head was tilted slightly. He could hear his comrades' step with care. Their client walked as if he had lead in his shoes.

The shinobi sighed. He wondered how long it would take to finish a chapter of Makeout Paradise. No, he thought. This isn't some low grade mission, he couldn't fool around. But the book's weight in his pocket seemed to tempt him with every step. He needed to get to the next chapter. Another sigh escaped his lips.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head once… twice… three times. His head tilted down. A cough burst from his throat; his hand covered his mouth. His grip on the kunai tightened. He counted to three. He reached into a compartment on his belt. One… two… three… he let it drop out of his hand. Asuma grabbed Koj. A smoke cloud surrounded the party. The client coughed.

Kunai flew out of the cloud. Each one was easily dodged by the enemy. One, two. A man and a woman stood in the path ahead. Kakashi inspected the enemy. The man was large with spiky brown hair, dull brown eyes. His face was rough, weather-worn. He had a scar under his left eye; a bit of facial hair on his chin. The muscles in his arms were visible. His tan overcoat was sleeveless, going to his shins, zipped all the way to his throat. He wore black pants underneath, a large sword rested on his back. Two blue, metal-plated wrist guards were on each arm.

"Impressive. You caught onto our presence quick." The man's voice was rough. He sounded like he had a sore throat.

The woman hit the man's arm with her elbow. "Let's not make conversation. I want to get this over with." Her voice struck a chord in Kakashi's mind. It was familiar.

The woman was shorter than him. Her burgundy hair was short, choppy. It went no further than her chin. From the bridge of her nose down, her face was covered in bandages all the way down to her neck. She wore a matching sleeveless overcoat, the same type her companion wore. There was armor covering her entire forearm.

Kakashi couldn't even begin to think about _why_ this woman's voice was so familiar as he watched the woman flash out of sight. He contemplated which one out of the three she would go after. She could take out him and Guy to get to their target or she could go straight for Koj to shorten the duration of their encounter. It seemed the woman wasn't keen on dawdling, so he assumed she'd go for Asuma and Koj's clones.

He was proved wrong when he felt the woman's presence on his back. What was a little disturbing was how suppressed her chakra was, eliminating any chances of recognizing it. It was there, he could feel it, but it appeared to be the chakra of a mere civilian. With her speed he knew she was more than that.

Spinning to dodge the slice of her kunai, Kakashi let his own meet hers in a clang. The woman's eyes were perfectly blank as she twisted another kunai into her free hand. Now blocking two accurate kunai's oncoming slices Kakashi found the woman was talented with the weapons. His body twisted, dodged, spun but the woman just kept coming at him with those blank violet eyes. _Violet eyes?_

Blowing a fireball at her that she dodged flawlessly, Kakashi tried not to let his thoughts distract him from the battle. It was a dangerous thing to overthink in the midst of dodging and dealing blows, but there was just _something_ telling him that this was wrong. For that reason he unknowingly didn't deal out any killing moves.

The woman also seemed to be keeping it to knock-out moves. Not once did she aim for his throat or his heart, easily the most fatal areas. Her feet met his stomach in a double mule kick sending him several feet back. Before his body smashed into a tree, he replaced himself with a tree log. Behind her Kakashi felt that the way she moved so gracefully for a trained killer was something he had seen before.

Pushing her back with his full force, she slammed into the ground on her hands. The rest of her body didn't meet the ground as she used the momentum from her fall to flip back onto her feet. Blows were dealt, dodged, taken, but they were making no _progress_. The two of them were too equally matched. Kakashi went for a kick, the woman jumped over it effortlessly. She went to slice as his torso, he ducked in time. They were getting nowhere. This battle wouldn't end in who could defeat who; it would end when one of them tired out first.

Guy was thrown back with lacerations on his arms and legs. It was surprising for him to be injured at all with the incredible speed he possessed. The man had appeared to be too large for swift movements, but that was apparently not the case. With that sword of his he was only a little slower than the woman, without it he'd probably be as fast as her.

The man was weathered; Guy hadn't been injured without dealing his own blows. But when Kakashi managed to throw the woman back into a tree, his own injuries seemed to be unimportant. The man charged him with several swipes at Kakashi's neck. Blocking a blow to his chest the Copy-Nin's arms were sliced up. Ducking the blow for his head, Kakashi swept the man's legs out. He barely registered when the woman stepped in between them with ease.

"This man is _my_ opponent, Genbo. Your opponent is over there." The words she said were lost on Kakashi's questioning ears. _That voice…_ The violet eyes, the burgundy hair, the voice, that way they moved in sync. It was adding up to an impossible notion. It was impossible. Wasn't it?

Once the man went back to Guy, who now stood with a grim set of his lips, Kakashi took the first strike. He had to know. Positioning his kunai, he struck upwards seconds before the woman dodged. While his eyes were still trying to make sense of what he was seeing, Kakashi failed to dodge the chakra-infused fist hitting him square in the stomach. The ground met his shocked body with a loud thud that he didn't pay attention to. His eye was wide as he met the gaze of the woman. Her bandages were ripped from his attack, revealing her face. Blood dripped down her sliced cheek, but his eye focused on her eyes, the shape of her face, the small scar on her neck that he had witnessed being placed. It was impossible. She was supposed to be _dead_.

The way she could suppress her chakra, the way they couldn't best one another in hand to hand combat, the way he had felt she was familiar. It all made sense, but it wasn't _possible_.

"Shima?" The name left his lips with confusion lacing each syllable. His voice seemed to linger in the air. For the first time an emotion showed on her face by sign of the narrowing of her eyes. The air grew tense as Guy and the man named Genbo stopped their battle. The Green Beast of Konoha looked like he couldn't believe his ears. He knew how impossible it was just as much as Kakashi did.

But there she was right in front of them. Shima Himura, kunoichi of Konohagakure lost in battle a little over ten years ago. Their comrade was a rogue, but that didn't even faze them. The only thing in their minds was _how was Shima alive?_

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This fanfiction is before Team 7 has been formed. Kakashi is twenty-four and has just recently left ANBU.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

_"I passed! I passed!" She danced around with her new headband in her hand. She held it closely. "I finally passed!" _

_ "All thanks to me." He smiled at her. She frowned playfully at him, punching him in the arm. He rubbed it as if he had really been hurt. _

_ "You only helped a little." She couldn't hold the frown for long. Her excitement was overflowing. _

The forest was silent. No birds chirped. No breeze blew by. The only sounds she heard were four beating hearts, four sets of lungs breathing and her own thoughts. The back of her neck began to tingle.

He knew her name. Not many did. She wasn't too sociable. One couldn't be when working for Zaku. A trained assassin never had time to make friends. But somehow, this stranger knew her name. "How is it you know my name, but I cannot recall yours?" She looked at him steadily.

No answer came for a long time. "I guess you forgot everyone from the village you betrayed." His words hit a nerve somewhere deep inside. The tingling in her neck increased to a mild annoyance. "It's been ten years, Shima. Here I thought you were dead this whole time."

She looked him over. Shima took in his silver hair, his only dark visible eye, the headband that covered the other, his mask that was covering the lower half of his face. His headband had the symbol of a leaf on it. He wore the usual elite ninja outfit; a green vest over a plain long sleeved black shirt with black pants, the ninja sandals. He had metal-plated fingerless gloves, and various compartments for scrolls, kunai, and shuriken, bandages around his ankles.

Dead? A small hmmm noise came out of her mouth. Ten years ago was where her memories disappeared. This man had known her before that. "Genbo, let's go." She was going to interrogate her teacher later.

"Shima, in case you forgot we have a mission to complete." Genbo gave her a hard stare. She didn't pay attention. Her gaze never left the man in front of her.

She pointed to the supposed scroll maker cowering by another ninja that had not moved since they arrived. "That scroll maker and the ninja beside him are nothing but clones. That's what the cloud of smoke was for." They had used the cloud of smoke to let those two escape. She had known that the whole time, but something had told her to stay, to fight the two ninja that remained.

"You heard what Zaku said." He poised his arm to once again fight the ninja with the bushy eyebrows.

"These two aren't with the target at the moment. There is no reason to kill them." She wouldn't kill someone just for the fun of it. Zaku could be mad. He wouldn't turn her into a monster. No matter how many times he tried to.

She turned away from the two strange ninja, walking out of sight. Shima heard Genbo hesitantly begin to follow.

She no longer had a desire to capture the scroll maker. She didn't feel like killing anyone or bringing someone in to be tortured. But if she returned with empty hands, she might not live to see another day.

Shima had a thought, "I could always leave Zaku's employment." She liked that idea. That evil man made her skin crawl. There were plenty of others in need of her services. Maybe she could go straight and be an escort instead of an executioner. She could leave this land and form a new life. Genbo and she could own a ramen shop. The possibilities were abundant.

"Genbo, why do we stay in Zaku's servitude?" She looked to her teacher. "He's not a very good boss."

"He pays well and could kill us both without a qualm." He kept up with his student, standing tall.

She didn't bother explaining her ideas of forming a new life. He wouldn't be interested. Talking like that would be dangerous territory and Genbo wouldn't go there. She decided to take a new path. "That ninja knew me, Genbo. Why?" She took a drag of her cigarette as she waited.

Her teacher twitched his arm. "You may have met him as a kid."

"What was he talking about when he said I betrayed a village? What village?" She pestered him.

"Stop with these questions, Shima." He snapped at her. She recoiled, but only for a moment.

"You're hiding something." Her words weren't questioning. They were stating a fact. She knew he was. It was all so suspicious that she could almost taste the deception. But her mind couldn't comprehend what it could mean, or if it could then it was locked away somewhere she had yet to reach.

Genbo didn't speak. He began to lead the way. They had to at least get the scroll, but neither of them was in the mood for the task. All Shima wanted was a nice bowl of miso soup with something sweet to top it off. Her stomach growled.

She opened her mouth to announce her hunger, but was cut off before she even began. "No." His voice was stern, having heard her stomach growl he knew exactly what she wanted.

"Come on, I'm starving." She groaned.

"No. We have to find that scroll."

"I can get really annoying when I'm hungry, Genbo. Choose your next words wisely." She gave him a devilish look.

He knew what she was capable of. Genbo sighed. "Fine. Fine."

_ He found her in the training field, lying under a tree. "What are you doing?" _

_ "I climbed a tree today." Her eyes were closed, she smiled. She looked worn out._

_ "You do that almost every day." He stood over her, wondering what the big deal was. She opened her eyes._

_ "You didn't let me finish, Scarecrow. I climbed a tree today without using my hands." Her smile widened, her eyes shined. The tree she rested under had hundreds of slash marks going up to the very top._

"You're saying Shima has been alive this whole time?" The Third Hokage's voice was grim. He was remembering the happy child that had once worked so hard to be a ninja for the village.

"Yes." Kakashi and Guy had caught up to Asuma. They had finished their mission before returning to Konoha to inform the Hokage of recent events. Koj had not been targeted by anyone else, and the two that had attacked them had not come to finish the job. Asuma had been informed of Shima's appearance after Koj had been gone.

"This means she's a rogue. She has to be taken care of." Kakashi looked to the ground at those words. The Third was right, but that didn't help his dismay at the thought. "I just don't see why she would do it. She had always shown pure loyalty to the Leaf." The Hokage rubbed his hand over his face. He was frustrated.

Kakashi's eyes snapped up to the old man. "She didn't have a reason to." Dots began to connect. "Shima would have died for this village." Almost there. "When we faced off, she held no recognition in her eyes. Even when I recognized her. She acted like I was a total stranger."

"What are you saying, Kakashi?" The Third focused in on the Jonin.

"There is something else at play." Kakashi bowed slightly before departing.

Pushing boxes aside, a hand searched for the thing he had kept safe all these years. Wrapped in a ripped piece of cloth, his hand grabbed onto it. His eyebrows furrowed. The door to the bedroom shut behind him as he left the apartment.

He walked through the streets with his hands deep within his pockets. A hand grabbed his shoulder. "Kakashi, are you going after her?" Guy held Kakashi's shoulder.

"If she really is a rogue, I'll be the one to take care of it." He took a breath. "But if there is something going on, I'll bring her home." He nudged out of his friend's grasp, walking toward the village gate.

"You won't bear this burden on your own. She was my friend, too." He trailed after the silver-haired shinobi, showing that he wouldn't be deterred.

Kakashi nodded. Calling forth his ninken, he spoke to the one name Pakkun. "I have a task for you." He pulled out the cloth-covered object. As Kakashi was unwrapping it, Guy's face grew serious. It was a blood-stained headband of Konoha. Shima's headband. "Find the owner of this headband."

The dogs sniffed the air, following the scent. Kakashi ran after them, heart beating in his throat. A serious look in his eyes, he moved with determination.

_"You're sweet tooth will be the end of you." He stared at her disapprovingly. She swallowed the big bite of food in her mouth. _

_ "If you actually liked sweets, Scarecrow, you would be humming a different tune." She placed the rest of her snack in her mouth, chewing in a dramatic manner. He looked at her with no emotion in his eyes. "That hits the spot!" _

The manor was quiet. Fellow servants under Zaku refused to meet her eyes. All believed that Shima, favored among them, was walking to her death. She held her head high. Shima had avoided this for days, but she couldn't stay away forever. He would know she and Genbo had failed him. Three days had passed since she had let the scroll maker escape.

The large doors opened ominously. In the back of the room, in his oversized chair Zaku sat with his arm cradling his head. His black hair lay behind him. His eyes were closed.

They walked beside each other, Genbo and Shima. Their steps matched, their breathing stayed even. Fear was never an option.

"Genbo, Shima, I am very disappointed." His head lifted up. Those pale red eyes landed on them. "You fail in getting the scroll maker. You try to escape my wrath by hiding out." He stood up gracefully. "I expect failure out of Genbo. He's a lazy drunkard. But you, Shima, I am shocked."

She grit her teeth. His patronizing words made her fume inside. Zaku walked behind them. He snuck up to the spot a mere inch from her. A hand reached to her front, a small blade reflecting light into her eyes. She remained calm. The blade pressed against her flesh. "If you weren't so skilled, I would kill you." The blade bit into her skin, a stream of blood fell down the length of her neck. "Fail me again, and I will."

He removed the blade, backing away from her. She felt a buzz of chakra behind her. Shima inhaled. Three… two… one… Bam. She was thrown into the wall to the left. Her back hit it with full force. She fell to the ground. A cough escaped her throat. Her body stood itself up with ease. A wall was nothing.

Genbo had received the same treatment. She looked at her teacher and frowned. She had had enough. Shima glared at Zaku with hate. He wasn't facing her, but she could hear the laughter on his lips. He spoke plainly. "Genbo, leave." Her teacher stood. With a fleeting look at Shima he did as he was told. Shima cursed him for leaving her alone with the psycho.

Zaku gracefully walked over to her as she began to stand up. He placed a pale hand under her chin, pulling her up to his face. She didn't flinch under his cruel stare. "Shima, have I not been good to you? I give you a home, a bed. I pay you." Shima narrowed her eyes. "Now, now. Looking at me like that will only get you killed." She didn't care. Shima held her glare. She could see Zaku's anger begin to reveal itself.

She was slapped as hard as he could manage without knocking her unconscious. Stars danced in front of her vision. She tried to shake herself out of his cold grasp. He licked the side of her face he had hit. Shima felt disgusted.

"You're gonna be a good girl from now on, my love." He rubbed his face against her loose hair; taking in the scent. Zaku let her go. He walked away with a grin. Shima balled her fists up as he departed. She hated him. She'd kill him.

Leaving the manor with angry steps, she made her way into the forest. The trees swallowed her. Her anger boiled inside. She balled up her fists at her sides. A dog bark echoed to her ears. "What?" She looked around. The only thing she could see was Genbo walking up to her.

"Where are you going?" Genbo had caught up. She sighed.

"I'm leaving, Genbo. I can't stay here any longer." Shima turned to face her teacher. "Don't follow me."

"You're coming back." Genbo's words angered her.

"No. If I go back in there, I'll kill him." She shook her head. "I am no longer his paid assassin." She tilted her chin up to show Genbo she didn't feel inferior to anyone.

"Where are you gonna go?" He was mocking her. He was insinuating that she had nowhere to go. She didn't.

"I'll go straight. I'll find a village to settle in." It was quiet for a long time. They stood there facing each other with nothing but the wind dancing between them. He was watching her determined eyes with an odd emotion on his face.

"No village can afford you. You'd eat them out in a week." His mouth twitched into a weak smile. He was giving her permission in his own way. "I better come along and make sure you stay under control." She noticed the sack over his shoulder. She smiled sweetly.

They walked in silence for a while. The manor was miles behind them. She watched the clouds as if they would give her the answers she needed. "Genbo, what are you hiding from me?"

_"What's behind your back?" She tried to peek around him. He shifted to hide the object in his hands. She was getting frustrated. "Come on, lemme see!" _

_ "Impatient as always." He smiled at her. "If you want it, you have to get it." She accepted the challenge by aiming a kick for his face. He dodged it along with all the other punches and kicks she aimed at him. She was still smiling. They were behind her house, their usual hangout. _

_ She jumped up, flipping over his head. She grabbed the object and inspected it. "I win!" He smiled weakly, not admitting that he had let her win. She opened the packaging to see a scarf that resembled his own. "Happy birthday." He smiled at her. _


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I completely forgot about the disclaimer. So...

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters within the series other than the ones I created myself.

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Chapter Three

"What's the real reason I have no memories of my childhood?" Her question lingered in the air moments after she had said it. Genbo opened his mouth to speak, but she moved her hand to silence him. His answer would have to wait. "We're being followed."

She closed her eyes and focused her chakra. Two men with familiar chakra signatures were hiding in the tops of the trees. She recognized them.

Two figures jumped down in front of them. The silver-haired ninja that had known her name was among them. Along with the ninja that had really bushy eyebrows and a weird haircut. Her neck was tingling.

"You two again? We must have left an impression." Her voice was cool, but not menacing. She didn't know what it was with these ninja that held her in a state of curiosity. "We're not after your scroll maker. Leave us be."

The trees swayed, leaves fell onto the ground in between the two groups. The sounds of breathing were the only sounds in the silence.

"Shima, why don't you recognize us?" The black-haired man asked her. The other watched her.

She looked at him. "Why would I?" Something turned in her brain. They felt familiar, their presences. Her attention was mostly drawn to the silver-haired man. His dark eye held emotion she could not place.

"We were friends. We were comrades." His voice struck a chord. She stared at him. Blurs of memories tugged at her. Their secrets were hidden inside the dark part of her brain. She let out a breath.

"Shima, we should leave." Genbo tugged at her arm. She held her feet still. These men knew parts of her that she had lost. These men held the key to the past she had forgotten.

She took a breath. "What are your names?" She watched for their answers. No expression on their faces.

"You should know our names, Shima." The silver-haired one spoke. His words were on the verge of becoming angry. Something inside her recoiled. The tingling began to burn. She reached her hand up to the back of her neck, pressing softly on her skin.

Genbo began to pull on her again. "Come on, we can't linger."

"Tell me your names." Her voice was harsh. The burning spread with every flash of forgotten memories.

"Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy." His voice wrapped around her in a blanket of familiarity. Her heart pounded inside her ears. Her breath caught. Kakashi. Kakashi. Kakashi. His name repeated over and over in her mind. She gasped as the pain wrapped around her throat. A cough burst from her mouth.

She removed her hand from her neck, letting it fall to her side. "Kakashi, Guy." She tested the names out loud. Their names connected with something inside her.

"Why did you vanish after your team was killed?" Flashes of blood, dead bodies, and tears. She choked on air. The burning crawled upward. She found it hard to breathe.

Shima fought it. "That's it; we're getting out of here." Genbo's voice broke through the haze of pain. She pulled her arm away violently.

Her vision was darkening around the edges. The burning was suffocating her. Shima's breathing was heavy. Cough… "Where are you from?" Her voice was strained.

"The Village Hidden in the Leaves." Swirls of memories overcame her. Looking into Kakashi's visible eye made her throat hurt even more, but she couldn't look away.

She felt faint. Her mind was opening; its secrets were revealing themselves. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth. This pain…

Her gaze shifted to the man named Kakashi. His eyebrows were furrowed. That look in his eyes made her mind whir. She _knew_ him. Shima worked to remember his face. Minutes went by of uncomfortable silence. Her eyes widened with recognition. His eye softened.

"Sc-Scarecrow?" Her voice was full of pain. The pain was too much. It filled her, making her fall to her knees. His eye widened. Genbo reached for her.

The world darkened.

_XXXXXXXXX_

_"Hey, Scarecrow! What are we doing today?" Her little face came into his vision. He frowned underneath the mask. _

_ "Why do you call me that?" _

_ "Because it's your nickname. Friends give friends nicknames." She rubbed her chin. "Actually, you should give me one!" She smiled. _

_ "How about… Annoying?" He smiled playfully. She didn't like that too much as was evident by the large bump on the back of his head. That stone was way too heavy to be throwing at people's heads. _

Kakashi's gaze followed as she fell to the ground. Her violet eyes were shut, her face contorted in pain. Blood was trickling out of the corner of her mouth. His heart squeezed at the sight of her helpless body. A quick glance at Guy let him know that his comrade was feeling the same.

The man named Genbo sat cross-legged beside the unconscious Shima. Her head lolled to the left as he propped her up in his lap. He adjusted her head and the black marks circling her neck became visible. They were shaped like a choker of flame that spread around her whole neck in thick black symbols. The large man seemed to rock her slowly as he mumbled words neither Kakashi nor Guy could hear.

Kakashi spoke first. "She is a ninja of Konohagakure. We have to take her back to receive punishment for her betrayal." Those words tasted foul in his mouth. Taking Shima home to be arrested? It felt wrong.

"She never betrayed your precious village." Genbo brushed strands of hair out of Shima's pale face. "This village you speak of is nothing but a hidden memory to her now."

Kakashi looked once more at the markings around her neck. "A memory seal?" He put it as a question hoping the big man would explain.

"Yes. One that burns the mind of the bearer if their memories try to return." He sighed. "She's been touching it absentmindedly for months. I noticed. I could've resealed it. Made it stronger." His hand traced the markings. "I just couldn't bring myself to."

Kakashi and Guy snuck glances at each other. They were confused. "Tell us why she has a memory seal."

Genbo looked up into his dark eye. "Her team had gotten in the way of my boss's mission. They were young, foolish. Easy kills." His voice was tipping into cruelness. "She didn't look like much. A scrawny girl who thought herself a ninja." He took a breath. "Her teammate died in her arms. A rage took her over. She killed one of our guys. A fourteen year old girl killed one of our trained assassins." He scoffed. "Boss took an interest in her. Thought she'd be useful. The seal was placed to stop her from going back to the village she came from. She was given to me as a student. She's not so scrawny anymore."

The story angered Kakashi. They had erased her memories to turn her into an assassin without her knowledge. He shook the anger away; remained focused. "Why didn't you reseal it? Did you want her to feel this way?"

Genbo's eyes flamed with anger. "No." His voice was stern. Kakashi could tell he cared for his student. She must have been like a daughter to him. "Boss had been looking at her lately. He had that nasty look in his eye that he gets when he wants something and he knows he'll have it." He growled. "Shima would never be his. Not if I lived." He sighed. "I guess I was waiting for the moment to remove it. To take her away from his home. Today, she decided to leave for good. I guess now is as good a time as any." He wrapped a large hand around her throat. Guy was about to stop him when Kakashi held him back.

The marks began to glow under Genbo's fingers. He muttered words in a forgotten language. The glowing became too bright to look at. Kakashi blocked his eye.

Genbo stopped. His hand slipped away from her throat. Her neck was clean of the blackness. Only red marks remained. Kakashi knew those would heal. "If you're going to arrest her then I'll take her with me." He looked the men in the eye. "If she can return without fear I will let her go."

"She has done nothing wrong of her own will." Kakashi stated simply. The Third would understand. He would sign her off as cleared.

Genbo nodded. "Her memories will be slow in coming back. There's no guarantee they will come back at all." He laid her down softly as he stood up. "Take care of her." With that last sentence, the large man was off without a trace.

Kakashi stepped forward and bent down to gaze at Shima's sleeping face. It was no longer contorted in pain. A peaceful, serene face was what she wore now. He felt a pang in his chest. He had missed her.

Scooping her into his arms, he held her firmly. He nodded to Guy. They dashed for the village.

_"What's your name?" She looked up at him with a smile. Her little pigtails were sticking out on both sides. She was only a little younger than he was. _

_ He ignored her. This girl would distract him from his training. He had to be strong. "Hey, I asked you your name!" She pouted. It was kind of cute. "Okay. I'll tell you my name first to show you how it goes." She took a deep breath as if preparing for a big announcement. "My name is Shima. Shima Himura."_

_ He liked her name. "Kakashi Hatake." She looked up at him questionably. "That's my name." _

_ "I like it." She smiled. It was an adorable smile. He felt a bit of a blush creep to his cheeks._


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto; only the original plot and characters.

* * *

Chapter Four

_Shima closed her violet eyes, searching the area for his chakra signal. She took a deep breath, focusing her energy. He was too good at this game. _

_ A grin crossed Shima's lips. She had him. Her legs bent at the knees; she dashed to the trees behind him. Focusing her chakra to the soles of her feet, she climbed to the limb closest to the ground. _

_ He was crouched in the bushes with his legs ready to run at a moment's notice. Two breaths later and something slammed into his back. He was pushed to the ground with force. The boy looked over his shoulder to see Shima's smiling face. _

_ "Gotcha, Scarecrow!" She stood up gracefully, holding out a hand to the boy on the ground. "You're pretty good at this game!" _

_ He dusted off his shirt with a laugh. "You're not too bad yourself." He smiled. "I guess it's my turn to seek." He turned around, putting his head against the tree bark. "One…" She was gone before he even reached two. _

It was dark; very dark. Shima couldn't tell if her eyes were open or closed. The darkness was overwhelming. It felt like it was crushing her; swallowing her whole. She let out the breath she had been holding. A white puff of cloud appeared in front of her face. This usually meant that it was cold outside, but Shima felt no temperature.

The silence was maddening. Shima couldn't hear her breathing, her heartbeat. It was complete and total silence. She was afraid of losing her mind. Shima's hands balled into fists.

Images floated through the darkness. They were bright as if she were watching a movie. The images were of a little girl with burgundy hair in pigtails playing with other small children. The little girl looked just like Shima. It must be her. More images floated by. Each held a different memory she guessed was hers. Little Shima sat in front of a teacher in an academy of some sort. She later received a headband with the biggest smile Shima had ever seen. Her younger self stood in a picture with two small boys and a man that appeared to be twenty. Shima watched on as an image of Little Shima holding the hand of a silver-haired boy as she sobbed over a stone in the middle of some field. Little Shima held the same boy as his left eye bled down his cheek. Shima reached out a hand to grab onto Little Shima's shoulder.

Her hand grasped thin air. The images vanished. Shima put her hand back down by her side. These were her memories. Shima grit her teeth. None of the images connected within her. They didn't feel like her memories. They were just images. Nothing else.

"You've been here every day, sir. Is she a friend of yours?" A strange voice filled the silence. The noise made Shima flinch.

"You could say that." Another voice reached Shima's ears. The voice reverberated within her. Her eyes were wide. She _knew_ that voice.

Shima felt like she was going to explode into a million pieces. She grasped the sides of her head. Nothing was making sense! Her memories didn't feel like her own, she was hearing voices, and she was in some godforsaken place that held no light, no noise.

A figure lit up in the distance. Shima looked at the figure with hope. It was the shape of a man. Shima took a tentative step forward. She couldn't see anything besides the man ahead. Her slow steps quickened into a run. The man stood still as stone.

As she drew closer she made out details of the man. Green flak jacket, black pants, a mask covering his face. He was a ninja. She stood a few feet from him. His gaze was lowered to the dark ground. Shima took a deep breath before taking another step. As her foot hit the invisible floor, his eyes shot up to meet her own. She was frozen in his gaze. One dark eye, one blood red pinwheel eye bored into her flesh.

His name lingered in a part of her mind that was hidden. She reached out her hand to grab onto him. In a flash… he was gone.

Shima collapsed to her knees. His presence had given her a goal, a place to go. Now she was alone in the darkness once more.

"She's stable. The seal was removed in time. There was no damage that couldn't be reversed." Another strange voice. Shima looked up hoping to see the owner of the voice.

"When do you think she will wake up?"

"It all depends on when she's ready to wake up."

"Let us know the moment she opens her eyes."

"Will do, sir." More strange voices surrounded her. She was asleep? Why?

The figure lit up a few feet away from her. Her head shot up to gaze upon the man. He stared at her with intensity. "Wake up, Shima." The familiar voice from before whispered into the darkness. Shima stared at the man before her. He nodded his head slowly before vanishing once more.

Shima felt like screaming.

Shima's violet eyes shot open; she let out a gasp. The fluorescent lights overhead blinded her after the complete darkness she had experienced moments before. Shima felt like her retinas were burning. Her eyes adjusted after a few blinks. She sat up in the bed she had been sleeping on. Her muscles were stiff. Her head throbbed. She reached a slender hand up to the side of it and rubbed gently. Shima's breath came in shallow huffs.

The room was completely white. White walls, white floors, white blanket, white ceiling. Beeping machines were on either side of her. An IV was attached to her arm. Shima was in a hospital. She just didn't understand _why_. But she did know she wasn't staying there to find out. She had to find Genbo.

Shima looked down at the IV in her arm. The needle was deep into the bend of her elbow. She frowned at it before ripping the invading thing out. It stung; Shima paid no attention. She had more important things on her mind.

Luckily they had left her in her original clothes, but even as she searched the room she couldn't find her shoes. Those bastards must have taken them. What bastards she was talking about, she had no idea. Shima shrugged it off. Shoes were not important.

She heard voices coming from behind the door to the room. The room had a single window on her right side. It seemed to open with ease. Shima slid the window to the side, putting her bare feet on the sill as she held on to the sides of it with her hands. Shima looked down into the street. People filled the street. She looked outward. The village she was in was a pretty sight.

There were colored buildings in every direction. The streets were clean, the air was fresh. It was a prosperous village. Shima looked further. In the distance there was an enormous mountain. Four faces were carved into the stone. Those faces stirred something within Shima. She felt flutters in her chest. Something about that mountainside filled Shima with respect. Those were people that the villagers loved and respected. They were important to this village.

The roof was closer to her than the ground. Shima chose to go up. She turned herself around and jumped. Her hands grabbed onto the roof overhanging. Her body dangled for a second before she had the strength to pull herself up onto the roof. She must have been in that bed for a long time.

On the roof, Shima took in even more of the surrounding village. Minutes passed. Shima pushed her awe away to continue her escape.

Her footsteps fell silently on the roofs she ran on. She jumped off of a low roof easily. Shima landed in an empty alley. Voices from passing villagers filled Shima's ears. She took a breath before heading out onto the busy street. Blending in was an art all ninja knew, even rogues like her.

Shima searched for Genbo's chakra signature with every step she took. Her teacher was nowhere near her. Shima feared the worst. She couldn't remember anything after Zaku giving her and Genbo the order to bring the scroll maker to him. She kept asking what could've happened to lead to her current situation over and over in her head.

The village appeared to be a ninja village. Many of the people she passed had some type of forehead protector with a swirling leaf engraved into the metal plate. The name "The Village Hidden in the Leaves" came to her mind briefly. She wondered if this was it. It had to be. Why else would they wear a headband with a leaf on it? The image of her receiving one of those headbands floated to the surface. Was this her village?

No. Shima didn't have a village.

The smell of something delicious hit Shima's nose. It was then that her hunger hit her with full force. The growl of her stomach was fearsome. Shima followed the scent with her keen nose. She began weaving through the people in search of the delicious scent.

The scent led her to a small shop on the side of the street. She inspected it curiously. Her eyes lit up. It was a ramen shop; her favorite!

Pushing the small curtains aside, she made her way to the stool furthest from the door. Shima closed her eyes to take in the scent of ramen.

"What can I get you?" An older man with a kind face stood behind the bar. He waited patiently for Shima to come back to Earth.

Shima looked around. "A bowl of pork ramen, please." Shima smiled.

Moments later, she had a steaming bowl of ramen sitting in front of her. Shima couldn't contain her excitement. With the first bite, Shima was in love. This was the best ramen she had ever had. She relished in the flavor. It was three bowls later that she realized an important factor. Her wallet was empty; she had no money.

The older man came back to her as she swallowed her last bite and drained the bowl. "Do you want another bowl?"

Shima pushed the bowl away reluctantly. She regretted having to say what she was about to. "No thank you." Shima gulped. "I'm afraid I don't have any money. I just smelled food and completely forgot. I do that a lot." She looked down at the floor. She was twenty-four years old and felt like a delinquent child.

"Don't worry about it." The man smiled. "It's on the house, Shima." The older man took the bowl away and wiped down the top of the bar.

Shima stared at him. She clearly had a confused expression. The man's smile just grew. "Yes, I remember you. I always remember my best customers." He knew her name.

Dots connected in Shima's mind. "I came here… frequently?" The man nodded. That meant that she had lived here. She had walked these roads before.

"What do you remember about me?" Shima had to know. This could be a key to opening that hidden part of her memories; the key that had been lost over ten years ago.

"Hmm, you started coming around here with your mother when you were about five years old. You were a cute little thing. Burgundy pigtails, a smiling face. Since then you ate here at least five times a week. The day you became a Genin you showed that headband off while eating seven bowls. I had never seen a little girl eat that much. But it was nothing compared to the day you became a Chunin. I think I was completely out of pork ramen for the whole day." The man smiled.

Shima was full of emotion. It bubbled up into her chest with speed. She had been an official ninja from this village. This had been her home.

Before the man could walk away, Shima reached over the bar to give him a hug. "Thank you." He seemed a bit shock, but accepted it with a small chuckle.

"Welcome home, Shima."

Shima walked through the streets with slow steps. She pushed her hand through her messy burgundy hair. So many questions were floating in her mind. Emotion filled her. That man at the ramen shop had let her know that she had once been a member of this village. What had her life been like? What kind of person had she been? Who were her parents? Were they still alive?

Thoughts of Zaku came. What had led her to his service? What had happened to make her leave this place? Why would she even want to leave this place? At the thought of being that man's hired assassin Shima became angry.

The anger and confusion overwhelmed her. She had lived here, but now it was a total mystery to her. She should remember the buildings she passed, the roads she walked, the old man at the ramen shop… but she didn't. The only memories she had of this place were fleeting and brief.

None of this made sense! Shima felt like ripping her hair out. She was a trained assassin, a ninja. Her self-control is important in both lines of work and she was losing that control. It was fading quickly as more questions popped into her ignorant mind.

Shima punched the nearest wall. The bricks rubbed her knuckles raw. Blood poured out of the cuts with no care from Shima. Her mind was muddled. She couldn't think straight. Each thought led to another. Each question led to more of the answers she didn't have.

For ten years she had believed herself to be an orphan, a student that Genbo had found one cold night. She was a trained assassin in Zaku's employment. If she hadn't of lost her memories, where would she be now?

Hours of wandering left Shima in an open training field she almost recognized. There were three stumps of wood a few feet in front of her. Shima walked up to them briskly. This place held memories for her. Memories that were there; hidden in a dark part of her mind. She rubbed the top of a stump. Her fingers glided over the smooth wood.

The silver bell around her neck jingled as she moved. She unzipped the top part of her overcoat. Touching the smooth metal calmed her nerves as it always had. She closed her eyes.

_Shima was seven years old. She had received her official Hidden Leaf forehead protector a few days before. She had passed the test after two tries. It was her proudest moment. The forehead protector rested as a headband in her long burgundy hair as she faced the silver-haired boy._

_ "The rules are that you have to take this silver bell from me before noon. If you do that, I'll accept you as a real ninja." The silver-haired boy dangled a silver bell in front of her face. _

_ "You'll see, Scarecrow. I'll get that bell." She dashed off before he turned the timer on. _

The flashback ended as quickly as it had come. Shima looked down at the bell she was rubbing between her fingers. It was obvious that she had retrieved the bell the boy had been dangling in front of her face. The boy had been someone she had wanted to impress, someone important.

The bell had been around her neck since before she could remember. It had always been a source of comfort, though she never knew why. The answer was there. Shima frowned.

Her past was a mystery. The things she had thought for ten years were wrong. She hadn't been an orphan raised from birth to be an assassin. She had had a family, friends. She had belonged somewhere that wasn't Zaku's manor.

_XXXXXXXXX_

_Kakashi rubbed the back of his head as Shima lay on the ground before him. She was breathing heavy; a silver bell hung out of her small hand. Her violet eyes opened, locking onto his dark eyes. _

_ He held out a hand for her to grab with a smile. "You passed." Shima grabbed his hand excitedly. With her feet firmly planted on the ground, she continued holding onto Kakashi's extended hand. _

_ "Say it or else I'm not letting go." She gave him a hard stare. _

_ "You're a real ninja." Kakashi said the words she had been waiting to hear. Shima released his hand. She took a single step back and gave him a mischievous smile. "What are –," he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as he was pulled into a hug. _

The Third rested his elbows on his desk with a sigh. His chin rested on the top of his balled fist. His tired eyes looked up as Kakashi walked in with his hands shoved in his pockets. Hiruzen took a drag of his pipe.

"You asked for me?" Kakashi leaned on the wall never once removing his hands from his pockets. A fellow shinobi had interrupted him as he was reading the third chapter of Icha Icha Violence. Kakashi's bored glare had caused the man to stutter out the orders for him to go to the Hokage's office quickly.

"Hmmm, yes." The Hokage wondered what reaction his next words would draw out of the Copy-Nin. "It appears Shima has finally awakened." The Jounin looked down for a split second. His body had relaxed. Kakashi bowed slightly before turning to leave the office. "I'm afraid you won't find her at the hospital, Kakashi." The ninja looked back at the old man. "Shima has escaped."

A small chuckle escaped Kakashi. "Is that so?" With a nod from the Third, he shook his head with another chuckle. "She hasn't changed."

It was easy to find her. Even after ten years, Shima's chakra signature was as familiar to him now as it was then. He kept to the crowd; moved slow. Her ability to blend into a group under her circumstances impressed him. A small smile crossed his lips as he watched her nose lead her to the ramen shop they had both loved as children. He knew Teuchi would recognize her. He knew she would ask questions. That was Shima's way.

Kakashi watched as she left Ichiraku's Ramen with a small smile on her face. The further she walked, the more her mood darkened. Kakashi had to keep himself in check as she punched the brick wall of a flower shop. Seeing the blood dripping from her hand made him realize just how much this was affecting her. She had no past, no memories other than those of her days as an assassin. Shima was completely alone in this strange village that had once been her home. It must be painful for her.

He watched as she made her way to the third training ground. That field is where she proved to him that her cheerful exterior did nothing to dampen her abilities as a ninja. He had once thought her foolish, naïve. Kakashi had been incorrect. She was a strong, capable kunoichi. There was no telling how much her abilities had improved since then, what power she now had.

Shima rubbed her hand over one of the three wooden stumps. Kakashi watched on as she unzipped the top of her overcoat, grasping onto something small that hung around her neck. Without having to know for sure, Kakashi knew it was the bell she had won from him all those years ago. The day after she had won the battle she showed him her new favorite necklace; the silver bell.

A loud growl filled his ears. Shima clutched the sides of her head in frustration as he watched her from the shadows. He heard sobs as she threw punch after punch at the innocent wooden stump. When her knuckles were covered in her own blood, Kakashi watched her form sink to the ground. Shima turned herself over, leaning her back on the stump she had just assaulted. Her breathing was heavy.

Kakashi's head tilted downward. It was hard for him to see her in this inner struggle. She was fighting her mind for the answers she lacked, the memories she couldn't see. Shima was going through something he couldn't begin to imagine.

The shinobi looked down at his balled fists.

An hour passed before Shima picked herself up off of the ground. She had regained her composure, her frustration had subsided. Kakashi followed her silently as she made her way off of the training grounds, back into the heart of the village.

Shima took a turn down an empty road. It was getting close to midnight. It had been hours since Kakashi had begun following her. He moved to the rooftops as she walked the lonely street. Something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. There was a disturbance in the flow of Shima's chakra. It was as if she had used some while assaulting the wooden stump, but Kakashi was sure she hadn't.

A small smile crawled its way to his face. One… two… he was grabbed from behind as the clone below vanished in a puff of smoke. The sharp metal of a kunai rested near his throat. Shima was crouched behind him holding out the weapon with a firm hand.

"You've been following me since I walked into the ramen shop." Shima's voice was cool. She stated the fact with ease in her voice.

Kakashi forced the smile away. It was only a matter of time before this happened. Shima was known for her sensor abilities. He would have been disappointed if she hadn't sensed him after all these hours.

Shima leaned in. "Who are you?"

_He watched over her as she placed the flowers at the base of the Memorial Stone. Tears dripped from her eyes. It was quiet in that small area. His hand felt warm as he placed it on her shaking shoulder. _

_ Shima looked up into his solemn face. She put her hand over the one covering her shoulder. "Make me an impossible promise." His eyes remained the same as she continued. "Promise me that no matter what mission you accept, you'll always come home." He squeezed her shoulder. _

_ "I'll do my best." He relaxed as she leaned her head on their overlapping hands. _

_ Shima sighed. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you, Scarecrow."_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own any part of Naruto other than the characters and plot that I, myself, create.

* * *

Chapter Five

_ Shima watched as he slept. His left eye was bandaged, his breathing was struggled. He was having another nightmare. She reached her hand over to hold his. Seconds passed before he twitched awake at her touch. "Hi, Scarecrow." _

_ "How long have you been here?" His voice still held the sleep she had disturbed. He reached his free hand up to rub the side of his head groggily._

_ "Since you came back." Shima had felt relieved when they had said he had come home. She had heard about Obito's death and Scarecrow's new eye. It had made her dizzy imagining the pain he must have felt. _

_ He lifted himself into a sitting position. She released his hand as he moved. Never one to show his true feelings, he kept the conversation carefree. "You hate hospitals." _

_ "I know." She wanted to comfort him the way he had her. Shima wanted to hold him. He wouldn't let that happen. "Now that you're awake, I'm going to go get Rin." She stood from her chair, preparing to leave. _

_ "Hey, Shima." His solemn voice forced her to look back. Once he saw her eyes look into his visible one, he spoke. "I kept my promise." Tears fell from her eyes. She ran back at a speed inappropriate for a hospital and hugged him tightly. _

* * *

The kunai in her hand remained steady as the seconds went by. It remained dangerously close to the man's jugular. Shima kept her breathing even, her emotions composed. This man had been following her all day. It hadn't been so obvious at first, but Shima had felt the constant buzz of a familiar chakra signature everywhere she went. She knew the chakra signature; it was familiar, almost comforting.

"You should know my name, Shima." His voice was like velvet to her ears. It wrapped around her. Each word swam in her mind, reaching the darkest places. Her name rolled off of his tongue like he had said it a million times. "I've told you my name twice."

She searched each part of her mind for a name to that familiar voice, familiar chakra. It was there on the edge of her tongue, waiting to be said. The words wouldn't come out. The man had grown impatient. She had been consumed with her own thoughts.

In a single breath Shima's wrist had been grabbed in his firm hand. She was propelled over his shoulder easily. Shima's body landed on the top of the roof with a thud.

The man kicked the kunai she had held off of the roof. She heard it land on the ground moments later with a light clang. Shima looked up to see the man that had been following her. Though it was upside-down, she could make out the details of his person. Silver, spiky hair that was held up by a Hidden leaf headband, the headband was pulled over the left eye, a face mask covered the lower half of his face that blended into his black long sleeve shirt, and he wore a Jounin flak jacket. It was his visible eye that made her heart skip a beat. The blank expression drove her to remember the nightmarish dream she had had before waking up in Konoha.

The air was tense as he walked toward her form. If it were any other time, Shima would have been up with another kunai firmly in hand. Something told her that it was okay to just lay there and see what the man would do. The feeling of trust surprised Shima. She trusted no one, not even Genbo.

He walked to her side, looking down. "Sorry about that. Having a kunai against my throat makes me nervous." A hand covered in a black, metal-plated, fingerless glove was outstretched to her. He looked down with a hint of a smile. Inside, Shima felt an odd sense of déjà vu. This kind of scenario had happened before. She eyed the hand suspiciously. "I won't bite." Shima reached her hand out, grabbing ahold of his.

When she was pulled to her feet, her eyes were inches away from his. She locked eyes with the supposed stranger. A small gasp threatened to escape.

It was _him_. It was the one she had desperately chased inside the dark part of her mind, the one that had been there when she was seconds away from waking up.

Thoughts were spinning in her head. Memories she had lost resurfaced in blurry images. The feeling of being burned from within caused her skin to prickle. Shima reached an unnoticed hand to the back of her neck. The burning was absent. Her memories were becoming clear and there was no burning. Shima's mind felt freer than it had in months.

_"It's been ten years, Shima. Here I thought you were dead this whole time."_

It had been this man that had said those words. Shima put a hand on her forehead. They had fought. Genbo, this man, she, and a black-haired man with weird eyebrows had battled over the scroll maker. The silver-haired man had known her name then as he did now. They had let the scroll maker escape safely. Shima had known it was a decoy, so why had she stayed? This man… this man is why she had stayed.

_Kakashi. Kakashi. Kakashi. _ That name kept coming to the surface. It filled the spaces between every blurry image. That single name sent electricity throughout her whole body. The name soon connected within her. In those moments after abandoning Zaku, Kakashi had been there. Silver hair, hidden eye, face mask…

Shima's eyes shot back up to the man whose name was now clear as day. It was there. She heard it in her head, felt it in her veins. "Kakashi," Her voice tested out each syllable. It fit perfectly in her mind, on her tongue.

The man, Kakashi, opened his eye a bit wider. His body relaxed. "You're going to need a place to sleep. I'm guessing going back to the hospital isn't on your to-do list."

Shima shook her head. "I've always hated hospitals."

Kakashi tilted his head down with a small laugh. "Yes, I know."

She wanted to ask him so many questions. He knew her, too. He seemed to have known her before their encounter with the scroll maker. Kakashi could tell her about her life before the time when her memory was lost.

Shima's eyes began to feel the time. She wasn't ready to take on all the answers Kakashi could provide. It would be better to find the answers herself. They were there, she knew it. Slowly they would return. Shima took a different road. "I don't have anywhere to sleep."

"There's a nice hotel nearby. I'll take you there." Kakashi turned to leap off of the rooftop.

"I'm not carrying any cash." Shima didn't want to leave his company; not yet.

He smiled at her with a wink in his eye. "It's on me." His form disappeared to the road below. Shima followed suit. She reached inside the pocket of her overcoat as her feet landed on the road in search of something she desperately needed. So many new thoughts, memories, had given her a headache. Her pockets were empty.

"Looking for something?" A package was thrown at Shima. Her small hand caught it with ease. As she inspected it, a smile crossed her face. In her hand was what she had been looking for; her cigarettes.

"How'd you get these?"

"I have my ways."

"Do you happen to have my box of matches, too?" A second later, the matches were in her hand as well. She lit up the cigarette with a happy sigh. The nicotine felt good running through her system. She had no idea when she had had her last one, but she knew it had been too long.

"That's a horrible habit."

"So is thievery." She gave him a sly smile.

* * *

Shima shut the hotel door behind her with silence. Kakashi had paid for the room, leaving without another word. The room was small, but well-furnished. A lamp illuminated the empty room. There was a single stuffed chair, a desk, a plain bed. The bathroom was off to the side.

Shima unzipped her tan overcoat, removing it. She instantly felt absolute speed return to her body after removing the weighted garment. Underneath the overcoat she wore tan shorts with many compartments, a black tank top, and a large belt that was lazily draped around her waist. Her silver bell hung closely to her neck.

The bed creaked as she fell onto it. Thoughts consumed her once more as she cuddled within the blankets.

Exhaustion claimed her as her eyes shut.

* * *

The sun was barely up when Shima's eyes opened. Golden rays peeked through the curtains of her hotel room. She rolled onto her side facing the window. Her limbs were no longer stiff; she was back in top condition physically. The cool of her hand rubbed the sleep out of her violet eyes. Her arm slid over her face until the crease of her elbow covered her eyes; shielding out the light.

Early birds on the street outside of her window chattered. Planting her feet on the carpet, Shima sat on the edge of the bed. A strange noise left her mouth as she stretched her arms over her head. The clock on the wall read six o'clock. Shima shook her head. It was too early for her to be awake, but her body forbade anymore sleep.

Her elbows rested on her knees as she let her head rest in her hands. A headache was already present. She sighed heavily, pushing her bangs out of her eyes.

Stripping away her clothing, Shima stepped inside the hot shower. Water caressed each part of her body as her head tilted back. It had been so long since her last hot shower. Once the hot water had been used up, she stepped into the chilly bathroom. Goosebumps decorated her skin as she dried off with a complimentary towel. A happy sigh left her. She felt clean once again.

In the middle of pulling her shirt over her head, a familiar buzzing in her brain caught her attention. Shima's violet eyes closed in focus. A chakra signature she knew well was coming her way. It would be five more minutes before he'd reach her door. Shima pulled her shirt on all the way. Fully dressed, Shima made for the door.

The door slid open just as Kakashi had his hand up prepared to knock. His visible eye widened a fraction before winking into a smile. "Good morning, Shima."

"It's too early." Water droplets fell from the tips of Shima's wet hair. "What are you doing here?" In a deep part of her brain, Shima was mildly surprised he was awake so early. Something about him made her think he was perpetually late for well… everything.

"Lord Hokage would like a word with you." Kakashi's smile faded into a small grin.

The Hokage was the person at the head of the village. The most respected person within all of Konohagakure. The faces on the mountainside were of the present Hokage and those of the past.

She guessed the Hokage would be curious of a ninja returning after ten years with memory loss. A sigh left her. An interrogation would most likely be involved. This was nerve-racking.

"I'll meet you outside." Shima slid the door shut. Her body turned as she slid her back down the door, sitting against it with her knees to her chest. This was so bad. What if the Hokage didn't accept her? Another thought came to the surface. What if he did accept her? Would there be a chance of her becoming a Konoha ninja once again? The thought of no longer being a rogue made her happy.

As she stood to leave, she looked at the tan overcoat on the chair. A fleeting glance at it told her to leave it. It was a symbol of Zaku's team of paid assassins, which she was a part of no longer. She didn't need it. She'd never return to that man's service. They'd have to rip out her throat first. Shima left the hotel with a bounce in her step.

The pair walked quietly. Conversation was avoided. Shima was anxious, nervous. Her hands shook at the thought of talking to the Hokage.

They walked down a road that led to a big building with the kanji for fire in large print on the front. A long swing hung from the branch of a tree a few feet away from the door. The Hokage's office was inside the building somewhere. Shima knew they had reached their destination.

As Kakashi headed for the door, Shima lingered beside the swing. Her pale hand reached for one of the ropes holding the swing up. It wrapped around the frazzled rope. The breeze lifted Shima's hair. Thoughts consumed her. Emotions sprang up into the pit of her stomach.

_Shima walked out of the Academy doors with a bounce in her step, a huge smile on her face. Her long hair blew in the breeze playfully as she ran up to the couple waiting patiently. _

_ Their eyes lit up as their daughter came bounding towards them with her graduation present. The woman, Sayuri Murasaki, smiled brightly as the child ran into her arms. Her long brown hair fell around their joined forms. She wrapped her arms around the small frame of her daughter. "Shima, we are so proud of you." Sayuri patted Shima's head as her daughter pulled out of the hug. The violet eyes that matched her daughter's were glazed over with happy tears._

_ The tall man, Hitoshi Himura, put his large hand on Shima's small shoulder with a hardy laugh. "Our little Shima-bird is officially a ninja. Soon, kiddo, you'll be a Jounin just like your old man." His bright green eyes shined with pride as his choppy burgundy hair rippled in the breeze._

Shima held a hand to her chest. The flashback had been a powerful one; clear as day. Those people had to be her parents. She _knew_ they were. The petite woman with Shima's eyes had been her mother; the big man had been her father. _Shima-bird_. That nickname caused Shima's breath to halt.

That had been the day of her graduation, the day she received her forehead protector. Her parents had stood outside the doors amongst groups of other parents waiting to congratulate their children. Shima's eyes traveled to the doors of the Academy. For a brief moment she could almost imagine them standing there.

"Shima?" Kakashi's voice brought her back to reality. She shook her head slightly, ridding herself of sentimental memories. She'd return to them later. Now she needed to focus.

No more words were said as the silver-haired ninja led her to the doors of the Hokage's office. They stood outside of those doors for what felt like hours. Shima's heart was pounding. Fear should not be an option, but all the possibilities of the meeting were shaking her resolve.

"This was your home, Shima. The Hokage has been informed of your situation. There is no need to feel fear. You will be fine." Kakashi's soothing voice encircled her anxieties, vanquishing them with every word. "Ready?" As she nodded with newfound confidence, he opened the large doors.

Stepping into the room revealed an old man sitting behind his desk in the middle of signing his name. Hiruzen Sarutobi, Third Hokage. The old man was shorter than her. His head was tilted down so she was only able to see his grey goatee. Without looking at his face, though, Shima knew who she was looking at.

_"Shima, I'm very impressed with your improvements over the past few years. You have been a great asset to this village." An old man smiled down at a twelve year old Shima. _

_ "This village is my home, Lord Hokage. I'll protect it and its citizens with my life."_

_ "I have no doubts." _

Her loyalty to the village shot up as the flashback subsided. It had been a fierce loyalty even at her young age.

The Hokage looked up with tired eyes. Catching sight of the two people in front of him, a smile reached his mouth. "Shima, I'm so glad to see you after all these years." Her head bowed slightly. "I asked Kakashi to bring you in order to discuss your situation."

Shima looked into the man's kind eyes. "I will tell you everything I can, Lord Hokage."

Hiruzen nodded. "What do you know of the loss of your memories?"

"I lost them ten years prior. One day I woke up without any recollection of the years beforehand. Those around me said I had received a concussion, that I had amnesia. I had no thought to doubt them." Shima took a deep breath. "I was told that I had been an orphan belonging to no village. My sensei said I was found as a child on a cold night. I had been training to be an assassin since the age of three."

The Hokage nodded once again. "Do you remember the encounter with Kakashi and Guy?"

"They were guarding the scroll maker I was assigned to kidnap. The two recognized me. This troubled me for obvious reasons. Days later as I left my boss's service, they confronted me with questions I couldn't understand. That's all I remember." Shima guessed the man with a weird haircut was Guy. He had seemed as familiar as Kakashi had.

"Ten years ago you were sent on a mission as a Konoha shinobi. During this mission the one named Zaku had a memory seal placed on the back of your neck. It completely hid away any past memories and burned you when they tried to return. We have seen the likes of this seal before, but it isn't too common. The man sealed your memories to have control over you, therefore taking you away from this village." Hiruzen stopped to puff on his pipe.

Shima's eyebrows were furrowed. Her fists were clenched to the point her knuckles were a shocking white. Strings of obscenities were flowing through her mind in regard to Zaku. He had taken her life away. She was a stranger to her own village because of him.

It made so much sense. That burning she had always felt had been due to the seal. The urge to rub the back of her neck to sooth it was not a simple quirk she had.

"Kakashi informed me that the seal reacted violently when you began to recognize both him and Guy. You collapsed, forcing the man called Genbo to remove the seal. He released you into our care when he was assured you would be safe." The Hokage looked at her solemnly. "Are your memories returning?"

Genbo earned her thanks inwardly. Shima put away her anger. "Yes."

"That's good to hear." Three more puffs of his pipe. "What are your plans?"

Shima started a little at that question. She had no plans. It was too confusing to make plans now. Her brain shuffled to answer him. She straightened up with resolve. "Breakfast." A chuckle escaped both the Hokage and Kakashi who had been leaning on the back wall. Shima continued. "I need to gather my memories, sir. But, if it's alright with you, I'd like to become a Konoha shinobi once more." She desperately wanted to belong to the village again. It'd be wonderful to work for a cause, not just for money.

"I was hoping you'd say that, Shima." Hiruzen sighed. "You were one of our finest Jounin."

"I was a Jounin?"

"At the age of thirteen you advanced to the level of Jounin after years of incredible improvement." Hiruzen smiled at her shock. She hadn't been aware her status as a Konoha ninja had advanced that far in her short life within the village.

"My father must have been proud," Shima started, "He said I'd be a Jounin like him one day." She smiled sadly. The memory of her father swirled sadness within her. She hardly remembered the man other than her graduation ceremony, but that was the strongest flashback she had had so far.

"I'm sure he was." The Third said solemnly. Moments of silence passed. "Since you have decided to make Konoha your permanent residence, we must find you housing other than a hotel room."

"I'm afraid I am completely broke. I can't afford housing." Shima hated to put that out there. Genbo always managed finances. He had said bluntly that Shima was not responsible enough to hold the money. Now she was away from him for good without money to get her by.

Hiruzen thought about this for a moment. "We will go ahead and get your housing in order. Once you complete a few D-rank missions you will be able to pay for it on your own."

"Sir, I hate to sound pretentious, but I was a paid assassin for ten years and apparently a very skilled Jounin before that. Couldn't I get something more challenging than a D-rank?" She could almost sense Kakashi shaking his head with a laugh on his lips.

"Since you have only just returned, we will be starting you off with simpler missions until the point in time your memories have returned enough." Hiruzen puffed on his pipe. "You're lucky I am willing to send you back into the field period."

"Understood, sir." Shima deflated. She'd have to work her way back up.

"Back to the topic of housing…" The Third gave her a look mildly chastising her for her interruption. "There are rooms available in the boarding complex Kakashi resides in. Some of our other Jounin call it home as well."

The thought of living in the same building as Kakashi didn't bother her. "Alright. Is there a kitchen there? Seriously, I'm starving." Her stomach was growling fiercely. It sounded worse than any wild animal she had ever come across.

This earned chuckles from the Hokage and Kakashi once again. "There is a kitchen, yes. I will get your housing prepared. Kakashi will lead you to the residence."

Shima bowed slightly. "Thank you for everything, Lord Hokage." She pivoted, beginning to follow Kakashi out of the Third's office.

"Shima," his voice made her head turn back to look at him. His eyes lit up a bit and a small smile crossed his old lips. "Welcome home."

Shima smiled brightly. "It's good to be home, sir."

* * *

_"Be careful in these exams, Shima. They're not like in the Academy." Scarecrow sat on the grass cross-legged with his head resting on his hand. His dark eyes held worry. He had already been through the Chunin exam; he knew how dangerous they could be._

_ Shima lay on the grass beside him with her hands behind her head. Her violet eyes were closed. "You worry too much. If Takemaru-sensei believes we are ready, then we must be. I can keep up with you, can't I?" She opened her eyes, looking at him. _

_ "There may be people there better than me." He fell onto the grass. His head turned to face hers. _

_ Shima smiled. "So, if I beat those people that means I'm better than you, too!" A laugh escaped her throat. With a glare from him, she fell silent. "I'm kidding, Scarecrow." _

_ He sighed heavily. "Very funny. Who's already a Jounin?" That earned him a punch from Shima. He rubbed his arm playfully before his face became solemn. "Shima?" _

_ "Hmm, yes?" She closed her eyes once again. _

_ He shuffled a bit before asking the question he had long wondered. "When I made that promise to do my best to come home after every mission, no matter how hard it was… will you make that promise, too?" _

_ Echoing his response from a year before she said, "I'll try my best." _


	6. Chapter 6

Standard Disclaimer Applies

* * *

Chapter Six

_"Obito's jealous of you." Shima's matter-of-fact voice cut through the silence. She looked into the sky like she usually did after training. The sky seemed to hold a great fascination for Shima._

_ Kakashi looked at her. He knew that. Obito had always envied his prowess in the ninja art. It didn't bother him; Obito got on his nerves anyway. "Why do you say that?" _

_ "He's in love with Rin, but she's attracted to you." Shima smiled mischievously with a glint in her violet eyes. _

_ He was caught off guard by her statement. He had had no clue that was the case, although it made sense once that he thought about it. "Her affections are misplaced," he said simply._

_ "Too busy with training for love, Scarecrow?" She closed her eyes with a knowing smirk. _

_ While her eyes were closed, Kakashi looked at her with a soft expression. "You could say that."_

Kakashi wouldn't deny that he was happy about Shima being reinstated as a Konoha shinobi. Hell, he was happy just to see her _alive_. Ten years… that was how long he had believed she was dead. Ten years thinking that he truly had lost everyone he had ever cared for.

In all honesty, the Third had spoken to him about the matter before she had even opened her eyes in the hospital. They both knew she had been a skilled kunoichi before her disappearance. That was ten years ago. Now Shima was twenty-four years old with ten years of being a trained assassin to a high-ranking criminal under her belt as well. They knew she could be a very beneficial addition to the village. She would have been already if not for her disappearance.

The Third admitted he would be wary allowing her back into the field on the basic fact that while she had been born, raised, and trained in Konoha she was new here until her memories were regained. Although the Third held no suspicions of her himself, he had suggested having Inoichi probe her mind _just to be sure_. Kakashi had fought that with every pull of influence he had. He had seen the seal himself. There was no doubt in his mind that Shima had not left the village of her own free will. Luckily for Shima, the Hokage respected Kakashi's insight.

The thing that had really brightened his mood was the fact Shima had brought up becoming a Leaf shinobi on her own. It meant that she wanted it. She wanted to a part of the village again. Shima wanted to be home… for good. That put a smile on his face.

The Copy-Nin had to admit that she hadn't changed much. Her love of food remained, as did her want to jump the gun and go straight into A-ranked missions not even two days after she woke up from her coma.

Even as he led her out of the Hokage's office, Kakashi caught himself imagining a much younger Shima in place of the adult Shima. He pictured the short, bright-eyed girl with pigtails asking him if he was insane for not liking sweets. Back then, she really got under his skin. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to push her away. Soon enough, instead of avoiding her Kakashi had found himself seeking out her company.

Shima walked behind him holding her hands behind her back, interlacing her fingers. As if to prove to him that she had not changed, her eyes were pointed to the sky. To this day, Kakashi still had no clue as to why Shima found the sky so fascinating.

They walked in silence, not sure where to begin a conversation. Kakashi was aware that Shima knew they had been acquainted before her disappearance, but it was obvious she didn't remember how they knew each other. He knew that she wanted to ask about it. It was just her nature; she had always been curious. But Shima also wanted to find the puzzle pieces of her memory by herself. Kakashi could respect that.

They were a few streets away from the boarding complex when a menacing rumble filled Kakashi's trained ears. If they had been in a forest of some sort he would have believed it to be a form of wildlife, but he was pretty sure that it was the sound of Shima's hunger he was hearing.

"How far away are we? I'm starving," Shima whined as she hugged her stomach dramatically.

Kakashi smiled at her familiar complaint. He knew the perfect place to go, even though he knew he really shouldn't. Not being able to resist, Kakashi led her further down the street to Konoha Tea Avenue. He occasionally caught Shima in his peripheral. She was observing the entire area; every building, every passing civilian, and every sign. As they approached his destination, a smirk graced his lips. She was going to _love_ this.

"Amaguriama? What is this?" Shima's violet eyes widened as he watched the dots connect across her face. It was the best sweet shop in town and Shima's personal favorite. "Is this… Holy shit."

Kakashi's eye winked in a smile. He was beginning to understand that certain places recalled memories quicker than if she were to try to piece them all together right away. There was a faint hope that soon she'd remember him, but he wouldn't get his hopes up. He was happy she was remembering anything. That's what mattered.

Inside, Shima's mouth was visibly watering at the sight of the sweets on display. A chuckle escaped him as he continued to watch her bounce from one sweet to the next. It seemed her sweet tooth was as strong as ever.

"Whoa! Look at this! And this! Can I get this?" Shima pointed at several different treats. Kakashi had no doubt that she'd eat this shop out in a day if she had the money. She was such a child when sweets were involved. As he was lost in thought, Shima straightened up quickly.

Kakashi tilted his head slightly in a questioning manner. At the sight of her troubled face, he began to understand. He had brought her into a sweet shop while her wallet was empty. If he offered to buy anything, she'd say no; even if it would kill her to walk away empty-handed.

Shima was distracted as she looked down into the display case with a depressed expression. At her fourth sigh, she began to walk away from the tempting sweets. Shima's eyes sought him out in the small shop, but he was out of her eyesight. Like he knew she would, she closed her eyes briefly. Kakashi knew she was searching for his chakra. When her eyes opened he knew he had been found.

"Hey, what's up with leaving me behind?" Shima asked as she once again fell into step with him.

Kakashi looked up as he tried to hand her two sticks of dango smoothly. He didn't even give any indication that he had been aware he had bought them in the first place.

Shima looked at them with ravenous eyes. When her thoughts got the better of her, she forced her eyes away to meet his. "I won't accept those. You bought them, you eat them."

A hand rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The problem with that is I don't like sweets." He shrugged his shoulders.

Her eyes could not have gone any wider than they did after that sentence. She gaped at him like he had grown a third arm, but she probably would have been able to handle a new arm better than a dislike of sweets. "What!? Are your taste buds alright?"

"My taste buds are fine," Kakashi said simply.

Shima gave him a wary look. "You bought those for me because I'm broke, didn't you?" Kakashi kept his face completely neutral.

"You make it sound as if my act of kindness is unwanted." Kakashi put a small amount of hurt into his voice. Just a bit longer and she would give in. He knew dango was one of her favorites. "I'm hurt."

If Shima felt any guilt, she didn't show it. Her face had an irritated look on it as she crossed her arms. "I already owe you enough. I'm not going to accept any more free handouts from anyone. Especially you."

Kakashi pondered the best way to get this small disagreement over with in his favor. "Well… since I have no taste for sweets and you don't want them I guess they will go to waste." He sauntered over to the trashcan closest to him. Shima's eyes were practically burning holes into his back with each step.

An exasperated sigh left her lips as he felt her giving in. Kakashi looked back with a smirk under his mask. Shima skipped over to him quickly, ripping the dango out of his hand. She narrowed her eyes into slits. "There's no point in wasting good food."

A chuckle left him as he continued the journey to the boarding complex.

The boarding complex was pretty much an apartment building for the ninja of the village without families, who wanted to live simply. It was only a few stories high, the lower floor rooms were one room; there were shared facilities for the lower floors. Kakashi's apartment was only one room, but it was more than enough for the Copy-Nin.

Kakashi led Shima up the set of stairs to his apartment. If he knew the Hokage, he'd put Shima's new key in Kakashi's window via Guy or Asuma. It was safer than trusting it to anyone else. Shima's return was still unknown to everyone besides Kakashi, Guy, Asuma, and the Third and of course, Teuchi of Ichiraku Ramen. The Hokage feared the people she had been close to would want to visit; which could possibly overwhelm her. They were taking this one step at a time.

The door opened to reveal his modest abode. Just like he thought, a small package was sitting on his window sill. Kakashi walked over smoothly, picking up the package with his long fingers. Opening the package revealed a small key with a note attached. The note read Shima's apartment number and for her to report to the Hokage once she was settled.

Shima stood by the door of his apartment with a thoughtful look on her face. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, her eyes taking in every inch of the apartment. As her survey finished, she let her eyes fall on him with a small smile.

Kakashi felt the urge to pull her into his arms as his dark eye was latched onto by her violet ones. He pushed the urge down, it would only confuse her.

It was an impossible feeling to see Shima Himura standing in front of him… alive, breathing. Kakashi still felt the need to pinch himself. The shinobi was afraid that at any moment she would vanish, he would wake up. He was afraid this gift was all a dream; a wonderful dream. So many times he had dreamed of his fallen teammates, his hero of a sensei, of his old friend. The guilt at seeing their faces had attacked him many times, but he had never felt this sense of contentment. Because this wasn't a dream. Shima was no longer "dead". This was real.

Shima took in his silence with a questioning raise of the eyebrow. He forced his thoughts away. "Ready to see your new apartment?"

Shima nodded her head in answer.

* * *

_"Kakashi, can't you see I just want to be your friend?" Tears filled a five year old Shima's eyes. She couldn't understand why this boy was being so cruel, so uncaring. _

_ The boy only a year older than her looked at her with eyes full of resentment. "I don't need friends." He raised his chin, as if showing her she was beneath him. "A shinobi must never show their tears. If you keep that up, you'll be a horrible kunoichi." He removed his eyes from her with a huff before leaving her alone in the busy street. _

_ The tears burning her eyes fell miserably down her cheeks. She wiped them away with a small hand. He was wrong. _

Shima couldn't explain the feeling that hit her when she walked into the apartment, _her_ apartment, for the first time. It was a new experience to her to have a space that was hers. That belonged to only her. A space she didn't have to share with a snoring, loud, and ever-watching Genbo.

The apartment was a simple two-roomed area with modest wall paint. It was an exact match to the one that belonged to the man beside her. A full-sized bed was pushed into the corner adjacent to the door; there was a desk and chair beside the bed. A bulletin board hung from the wall above the desk's surface. There was a nice armchair in the corner behind the door and a stool beside it. Shima guessed the bedroom was also the main room.

A door off to the side caught her attention as she surveyed the room. Shima's eyes brightened as she realized what that meant. Her hand reached for the doorknob, pulling it open swiftly. There was a small shower, a toilet, and a sink. A small closet was also provided in her bathroom. Shima thanked her lucky stars. She had a bathroom to herself. She had a bathroom. Something Kakashi's apartment lacked.

Shima returned to the bedroom with a smile on her face. The apartment was nice, simple. This was her new home and she loved it. The only problem she had was how empty it was. It was well-furnished, but she had no personal mementos on the walls, in the shelves, or on the window sill. Even though Zaku had ingrained it into her head that personal belongings were not appropriate for a ninja or an assassin, Shima was in a village now. She could actually have a life here. A happy life.

Her thoughts were shaken away. She had plenty of time to gather personal items. For now she needed to focus on getting back her Jounin title and becoming a part of the Leaf once more.

She turned to face Kakashi. The man was looking out of her window with a thoughtful gaze. His eye was half-lidded; his hands were in his pockets as she stared at him. Shima wanted to know more about him.

"What's next, Kakashi?" Shima asked. She was settled in as much as she could be. The Hokage wanted to see her, probably to discuss her missions. It wasn't exactly a thrill to be working D-rank missions. What was she going to be doing, painting houses?

The man's eye met hers with a wink. "You wanted to see the kitchen, correct?"

Shima's eyes lit up. She sure did!

The two sat at the table quietly. The dining area was relatively empty, only one or two shinobi sat with a plate in front of them. Shima had not wasted any time in making herself some food. Her stomach had been growling mercilessly by the time she had walked into the kitchen.

Now she sat chowing down on her food while Kakashi sat across from her with his nose in an open book. In between bites, Shima would observe him. He was reading a red book with a man and a woman on the cover and a large circle with a slash through it on the back. Shima almost spit out the contents of her mouth.

"Is that Icha Icha Violence?" Shima stared wide-eyed at the book. That was not appropriate to read in _public_. She should know. Genbo had kept those books under his bed. Shima, being the curious one, had snuck a peek when he had been out of the room. After a few chapters, she learned that her teacher was a closet pervert. Apparently Kakashi was an open pervert.

Kakashi looked up from his page with a bored look. "Yes it is. Are you familiar with it?" She could swear he was smirking under that mask of his.

Shima nodded. "Do you always read porn in public?" Another bite of food made it to her mouth as she finished her question.

"It is quality literature." Kakashi said simply.

"It's porn," Shima argued.

Hiruzen puffed on his pipe as Shima stood in front of him with Kakashi leaning against the wall in the back. He gave her a steady look before speaking. "There are a few steps needed before you can be reinstated." Shima nodded in understanding, she hadn't expected anything else. The Third gave a look to the jounin behind her, questioning how the man would react to his next statement. "I'm afraid there is to be another step before we can begin. You won't like this one." Shima stiffened. The kunoichi felt Kakashi's piercing stare toward the Hokage. "To be trusted within the community, you must inform us of all the dealings you experienced while in the criminal, Zaku's, employment."

"I can't possibly remember everything, but I can try." Shima stated hoping that would be enough. The Hokage didn't seem appeased. She almost gulped before remembering her ninja status.

"The interrogation will be led by our Intel unit head, Inoichi Yamanaka." Hiruzen was not unaware of the narrowing of Kakashi's eye. "I have been generous. Ibiki could have performed the interrogation, but I have no doubts in you, Shima, and his methods are not needed in this situation." The old man puffed on his pipe.

The names he spit out were unfamiliar, but the Yamanaka name was known. They were the users of mind jutsus. Her mind was to be probed. That thought scared her, but her face did not show it. If that is what it took, then so be it.

Shima couldn't help but feel Kakashi's chakra swirling in irritation, but she knew he wouldn't question his superior with her present.

"When will the interrogation take place?" Shima kept her unease hidden behind a mask of calm. Being a ninja was useful.

"As soon as you are ready. Kakashi will lead you to the Intel wing." The Third honestly did look remorseful of having her mind probed. She knew it was his duty and she could understand.

The kunoichi nodded. "I'm ready now." Shima turned away from the Hokage with a slight bow, facing the man leaning against the wall. "Lead the way."

Kakashi opened the door, leading her down the empty hallways. Her head was held high. Shima had nothing to fear. They were very much aware of the seal. The crimes she committed would hopefully be cleared, but her hope was small.

Shima wouldn't deny the fact that she was a murderer, a thief, an employee to one of the most sadistic men in the world. The screams of her victims often floated through her dreams, but she repressed them as much as she could. At the time it was all that she had known. It was an excuse for herself, but it was in the past. She couldn't change her mistakes no matter how much she wanted to. The ninja of Konoha knew what it was like to kill. None above the rank of genin could deny that they had taken someone's life.

The images this Inoichi would see wouldn't be anything he hadn't seen before, but it would still have the ability to make a civilian sick. Shima was no innocent. That much was certain.

She often wished she could _forget_ her time with Zaku like she had forgotten her past, even if it was through no fault of her own. Damn memory seal.

A tall man with a long ponytail and clear eyes stood in front of the two as their destination had approached. "I am Inoichi Yamanaka."

Shima swallowed her thoughts. "Shima Himura."

"Yes. I know." Inoichi turned to a closed door. "This way." Shima followed him with a fleeting glance at Kakashi. He nodded as he took a spot leaning against the wall. It seemed he planned to wait for her. Shima felt grateful even if it was his duty.

The interrogation was not fun in any sense of the word. Inoichi himself was not a bad guy, but the process of having all of her memories of Zaku dragged out was exhausting and mildly painful. It took three hours before the Yamanaka was satisfied.

A spell of dizziness hit her as Shima began to stand. It took a few blinks before the room stopped moving, before Shima felt the ground firmly beneath her feet. "Was it bad?" She asked. Her memories were no sunflower patch.

"I've seen worse." Inoichi offered a small smile as he led her by the arm out of the room. She hoped this was a sign she really would be cleared. Shima hoped the information of Zaku would help them somehow.

Kakashi was still leaning against the wall when she walked into the hallway. His book was open in his hand; his dark eye was going over the printed words. It was almost a pleasant sight after her previous interrogation.

Shima was ordered to wait while Inoichi informed the Hokage of his findings. She almost thought Kakashi would remain with her, but wasn't surprised when he entered the office behind Inoichi. As the one to bring her back he was probably curious of her last ten years.

The thoughts of rejection were causing Shima's nerves to act up. She felt sweat built up under her burgundy bangs as the minutes ticked by. The hallway's little decoration gave her no distraction to the intruding worries. Shima almost wished she carried a book with her like Kakashi did. Maybe she could borrow one, but considering what he read Shima threw that idea out of the window.

It seemed like hours passed before the door opened and Inoichi stepped out with a neutral expression. His face didn't ease her thoughts any. A smile or a frown would have been more of an indication of what to expect.

"You may come in now." Kakashi held the door open, waiting for her to enter. She realized her thoughts had taken her away from reality for too long.

Once again she stood in front of the Hokage waiting to receive his judgment. Her mask of calm hid her nerves as she waited for him to finish puffing on his pipe. When his old eyes reached hers her heart skipped a beat. His eyes were empty of any indications of her being cleared or rejected. It was like Inoichi all over again and she felt her nerves begin breaking through the mask.

"I was not surprised by the lengths of your crimes considering who you worked under, but it was still unsettling." Those words gave Shima little courage of her future. "I was pleased to hear of your refusal to kill civilians, though I was also not surprised. It seems your personality from your time within Konoha was not affected by the memory seal which is reassuring. Your position as assassin was one you took seriously, but you were merciful in your killings and never dragged out a fight just for the fun of it. Your knowledge of Zaku's operations will be helpful to ANBU. Your hate of your master and your job was evident. The fear you held for your superior was also evident." Shima almost flinched at his last sentence. Fear was a terrible weakness in a shinobi and the fact that she had let her fear keep her in his service was shameful to her. "I cannot blame you for your fear and I am glad you chose to leave his service willingly in the end. That being said…I have come to a decision." Shima blood froze at the tone in his voice. It wasn't good or bad, but it wasn't comforting.

The Hokage stepped away from his desk to stand directly in front of her as he gave her his decision. Shima looked down at the short man with her mask of calm on the verge of breaking. If she was rejected she had no idea how she would handle it. But it was only a second before her mask of calm hid away her worries.

"Shima Himura, the village of Konoha welcomes you back with open arms regardless of your previous crimes. You are officially a Hidden Leaf shinobi once more." The old man held out his hand with a new forehead protector resting in his palm. The metal plate was supported with black fabric instead of the original blue. It wasn't a genin forehead protector he was giving her.

She grasped the forehead protector tightly with her slender fingers. It seemed like reality fell away as she tied the fabric on her head as a headband to hold back her bangs. Shima rubbed the engraved leaf once it was securely tied. Her fingers lingered within the grooves of the swirling leaf. It dawned on her that her worries had been for naught. She had been accepted back into her village. Her crimes were forgiven.

Before she could think about it, Shima lunged herself at the Hokage. His eyes widened in surprise as she pulled the old man into a tight hug. She poured all of her gratitude into her hug that she would never be able to express with words. It was a second before the Hokage patted her back reassuringly.

When she released him Shima bowed respectfully. "I can never thank you enough, Lord Hokage."

"There is no need. I am grateful to have you back home, Shima." Hiruzen smiled at her. "Return to me tomorrow so we may begin your reinstatement." Shima nodded. "You are dismissed."

Shima bowed again before retreating through the door. Her shoulders felt incredibly light as she replayed the words the Hokage had said to her. All of the worries from before seemed to fade into nothing. The mask of calm had been replaced with true happiness. Shima felt like a child in her giddiness.

Kakashi walked beside her as they left the Academy building. His presence reminded her of just who had brought her home in the first place. Her violet eyes drifted to him as her steps were halted. When he noticed her absence beside him, Kakashi faced her with a question in his eye.

Her hand reached up to pull at a strand of her burgundy hair. The words she wanted to say weren't coming up as well as she had hoped. It was almost like she was nervous, but she had no clue as to why. Swallowing her hesitation, Shima met his eyes with new determination as her hand fell back to her side. "I want to say thank you."

Kakashi just looked at her with his eyebrow raised. "For the hotel room?"

Shima shook her head. The kunoichi stepped forward to be mere inches away from the silver-haired shinobi. She lifted her gaze from his throat to his dark eye. Before she lost her nerve, Shima wrapped her arms around him.

His body stiffened at the touch, but Shima didn't release him. This was the only time she would do something so bold. It took a lot of courage to hug a man she barely knew.

"Thank you for bringing me home, Kakashi." Her grip tightened before releasing the man she had seen in her last moments of darkness. "I owe you and that other shinobi as much as I do the Hokage." As an afterthought she added, "And thanks for the hotel room, too."

Kakashi looked like he had turned to stone at her touch. Slowly his dark eye met hers with a wink. His arms began moving once more and he rubbed the back of his head slowly. "You're welcome, Shima."

The continued their stroll with no real destination. Or maybe Kakashi had a destination in mind, but Shima did not. She followed his lead as they moved through the busy streets with a cigarette dangling out of her mouth.

"Perhaps we should grab some lunch and then find you a new outfit." Kakashi suggested.

The mention of lunch caught her attention. Food sounded great at the moment, but… "What's wrong with my outfit?"

"Nothing in particular, but you're a Leaf shinobi now. I think you should change out of those foreign clothes." His words were not emphasized with any emotion.

Shima couldn't deny the logic, but she didn't have the money to go out buying new clothes. Much less going to lunch. It was going to be miserable until she started getting missions. "You know I'm broke."

Kakashi gave her a dubious look. "Didn't I tell you that the Hokage gave you a loan until you were on your feet?"

"You seemed to have left that part out." Shima deadpanned. Leave it to him to exclude important details.

"Here you go." Shima was handed a decent sum of cash to help her settle into the village. Mentally she thanked the Hokage again for his benevolence. But a thought halted her gratitude. Why hadn't the old man given this to her instead of Kakashi?

"Wait a minute." Shima stopped walking to give the jounin a glare. "This isn't from the Hokage, is it?" Her arms crossed under her breasts as she waited for his reply.

Kakashi's eye widened before winking into a smile again. He held his hands up in defeat. "You caught me."

Shima handed him back the cash. "Thanks for the offer, but I told you I wasn't taking any more handouts." When he shook his head, she hardened her glare. "I meant it."

"It's not a handout. You'll be paying me back in time." Kakashi smirked under his mask. Shima had a bad feeling about the underlying message in his words. She felt like he meant paying him back with more than cash.

…but she really was in a pinch. Food was a necessity and she wasn't sure about when her missions would start. Would taking the money now be worth being at his mercy afterwards? Shima wasn't so sure, but she wasn't in a great position to turn him down. With a heavy sigh she placed the money in her pouch in surrender. She really wasn't liking the fact that the score was currently Shima: 0, Kakashi: 2.

Kakashi treated her to barbeque against her complaints. He claimed it was congratulations to being reinstated and Shima felt the smell of the delicious food luring her away from her reservations. It was really getting on her nerves how this guy seemed to know all too well that food was her main weakness, especially sweets. Shima: 0, Kakashi: 3.

This confirmed her suspicions of them having known each other before her disappearance. Shima was beginning to think they had known each other well in her time within Konoha. How well she was still wondering, but she knew it would come to her. For the time being she would just get to know him hoping to uncover the hidden memories.

Shima noticed that the only one that had been eating each time they got food was her. Kakashi seemed adamant about keeping his mask intact. _When the hell does this guy eat?_ The boarding complex didn't have separate kitchens. Did he just take his meals to his room? How did he eat on missions?

After her stomach was full, they stood inside the clothing shop for shinobi and civilians alike. Shima made her way through the racks with a look of disinterest on her face. Shopping for clothes was among the most tedious tasks she could think of.

"What about this?" Kakashi held up a green skirt with black shorts underneath. Shima made a face at the skirt that was not a happy one. It was the _third_ skirt Kakashi had picked out for her. She was starting to think the guy was being a perv. Kakashi sighed as he put the skirt down. "It looked nice."

Shima preferred simple clothing with no flashy bits whatsoever. It was better to wear inconspicuous clothing in her career since blending in was a major part of some missions. She stayed away from bright colors and unnecessary things. A skirt could flap loud enough for a tracker nin to hear, revealing her location. The tan overcoat she once wore was weighted to both train her body and to keep the material from creating much noise. Everything she wore was practical and she would keep it that way. That meant _no skirts_.

It was not long before Shima left the store with bags of her new clothing hanging from her arms. She had said no to every single one of Kakashi's suggestions. It was troubling at how many times he offered her a pink article of clothing. Either he was messing with her or he had terrible taste in female fashion.

She had to admit the man was decent company.

"Shima, it is wonderful to see you walking these streets!" A man taller than she stood in front of her with one of those grins that shows all of person's teeth. His face looked familiar, but it wasn't until she took in his weird haircut and eyebrows that the memory connected.

"You're Guy, aren't you?" Shima rubbed her chin in thought. "Yeah. You were with Kakashi when my seal was removed."

Guy's eyes seemed to fill with crocodile tears as she spoke. "It is a great feeling to be remembered by you, Shima!" He pulled her into a tight hug. "You may not remember the times we shared as comrades, but all in due time. To see you back in Konoha with your youthful spirit intact is truly a gift!"

Shima couldn't respond as the man began swinging her captured body back and forth in his strong grasp. Her head was getting light by the lack of oxygen. "Guy, she can't breathe." Kakashi said with a bored tone.

Guy released her with a smile. "I was carried away with my excitement. Please forgive me."

Shima waved off his apology. "It's not a problem. Just give me a warning next time, okay?" She chuckled at his enthusiastic nod. The man sure seemed happy to see her. Shima wondered how in the world she could forget someone so…so…well, there really was no way to properly describe Guy, but still. Apparently this was another person that had been her comrade, friend even, that she had lost. She wondered how known she had been in the village.

"Kakashi, I shall see you later this evening for our duel!" Guy smiled at her quiet comrade that had somehow managed to stick his nose in his book without her noticing.

"Hmm, did you say something?" Kakashi turned the page without sparing the exuberant ninja in front of him a glance.

"You will not get out of this one with your hip attitude, my friend!"

"About that…" Kakashi gave Shima a look that she was unsure of. "I have plans with Shima for the whole day. I'm in charge of watching over her until she is properly settled." Shima was about to protest, but was shut up with a narrowing of Kakashi's eye. _I owe him._

"Is this correct, Shima?"

"Afraid so. The Hokage doesn't want me wandering around the village on my own just yet. It'll be a while before I get over the risk of getting lost." Shima spoke without giving any indication of her lies.

Guy nodded his head in understanding. He was well aware of her situation since he had been there with Kakashi when Genbo had explained the mechanisms of her seal. "Then I shall challenge you another day, Kakashi! Shima, I will see you soon! I am off to train." With that the manic ninja flashed out of sight.

"That was mean." Shima looked at Kakashi with a chuckle.

"It had to be done for my sanity."

Shima closed the door to her bathroom without a sound. The clothing bags fell to the floor as she pulled her top over her head. Her hands moved down to remove her tan shorts with a single motion. Shima grimaced as she realized she was _still_ barefoot. _I really need some shoes._

Pulling the dark blackish-grey three quarter length trousers out of the bag, Shima pulled them on over her simple underwear. The pants had the habit of making the wearer appear to have legs the size of balloons, but Shima's toned legs filled the pants well. She pulled her new sleeveless black form-fitting shirt with a high form-fitting collar that had a zipper ending just under her throat over her mesh bra that held her well-sized breasts. The shirt showed off her curves, but would also allow for speed. Shima wouldn't deny that she was proud of her body not only for the looks she received, but for the physical fitness it represented.

Finishing off her new outfit with a tan belt that hung loosely from her waist, Shima admired herself in the mirror. It was simple, but effective. Shima wrapped bandages around her legs and tied her weapon holster around her thigh. With a nod, she exited the bathroom.

Kakashi leaned against the door with his nose deep in his pornographic novel. Shima hadn't remembered inviting him in, but there was no stopping this man.

"Did you sneak in?"

"It was boring in the hall." Kakashi always seemed to sound bored.

Shima crossed her arms, not buying his story. "You saw Guy coming, didn't you?" She had felt his presence enter the building as she was changing. Earlier Kakashi had told her that along with sharing the building with him, she also shared it with the eccentric ninja.

Kakashi nodded. "You caught me once again."

"Since you're here, how do I look?" Shima did a show of her hands as she brought on his gaze.

He scrutinized her from head to toe, and then back up to linger on her headband. That dark eye of his winked into a smile. "Like a Leaf ninja."

_"Why don't you ever take that thing off?" Shima pointed to the mask covering the lower half of his face. _

_ "Hmm, I didn't hear you." He ignored her penetrating stare like a pro. _

_ "Come on, take it off." Shima pleaded. She was desperate to see his whole face for the first time. _

_ "Take what off?" He raised his eyebrow at her with a smirk on his lips. His frame leaned slightly into hers. "Are you flirting with me?" _

_ Shima's face burned bright red as she smacked his shoulder, scooting away from him as she did so. "N-No! I meant take that damned mask off!" Her blush remained on her face even after her denial. He was teasing her and she knew it. _

_ The blush on her cheeks only intensified as his eye trailed down in…disappointment? "In that case, no."_

* * *

Author's Note: Uh...


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Not sure how I feel about this chapter...but I hope I did okay.**

Chapter Seven

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_ "Hey Scarecrow, you want to come over for dinner?" Shima kicked the rock down the street, folding her hands behind her back. They walked together after she had found him on the training grounds. He wasn't sure why she insisted on spending so much time with him when he wasn't the nicest to her. _

_ "No," Kakashi spoke firmly. He hoped his tone would leave no room for argument, but he was learning that was never the case with Shima. He kept walking without giving her a single glance. It wouldn't do well to get close to her. She was a distraction and was constantly in his way. Couldn't she get the hint? He didn't need anybody. All he needed was to become a better shinobi. _

_ Shima pouted. "You know, I'm starting to think you don't like hanging out with me." If it weren't for the snide way she spoke, Kakashi would have undoubtedly said that was exactly the problem. He didn't like hanging out with her. Shima was one of the few people that had been trying to crack his mask and she did it without even thinking about it! But her tone sounded so knowing…that he couldn't say the words. "You need a friend, Scarecrow. Whether you want one or not." _

_ Those words stabbed him right through his resolve. There she went again, cracking his mask. It was like she knew every intention he had to be alone. The worst part was she was usually right in her assumptions. _

_ "Well, fine. I'm sure Obito would like to hang out with me!" The thought of Obito going to her house for dinner bothered him for unknown reasons. He concluded that it was because Obito bugged him even more than Shima. The two of them together didn't sound like a good idea…so he caved. _

_ "Fine, okay? I'll come over for dinner, but only for today." He spared her a glance to see her reaction. The sensation that went through him when he saw her happy smile wasn't one he could place, but it disappeared when her happy smile turned into absolute victory. It had been a trick and he had fallen for it. _

It was getting incredibly difficult to be around Shima. Kakashi sighed, turning onto his other side. He wanted so badly to just _tell_ her how much her return had affected him, how he had visited her hospital room every day, how he had wanted to the first one she saw when she opened those violet eyes. But Kakashi was smarter than that. He had to control his selfish thoughts, but it was not easy. He had always been selfish when it came to Shima, even if he would never admit it. His rational brain knew that Shima would have to regain her memories first, but nothing said that he couldn't push her in the right direction. _Sc-Scarecrow? _He shook his head.

Kakashi sat up in his bed, pinching the bridge of his nose to try and ease the headache. His thoughts were consuming him to the point that sleep was impossible. All he could think about was the redhead that had meandered her way back into his life. It was unlike him and he didn't like it. It should be easier to be around her. Ten years had passed. An insane urge to laugh washed over him. The jounin remembered how it was never _easy_ to be around Shima. She just had something about her that constantly put him on edge. Her easy way of breaking his resolves, those intuitive violet eyes. It was just too much for him to relax. Kakashi was someone who liked to be in control of everything. With Shima, it was hard to keep control of the situation.

Listening in to the findings of Shima's interview had unsettled something within him. He hadn't been surprised, but it showed him that Shima had indeed been a criminal. It was a wonder they hadn't heard of the duo's crimes before, but maybe that was the point. It was evident Zaku did everything he could to avoid Shima ever even hearing of the Hidden Leaf. That bastard knew where she had come from. But still…the lengths of her crimes should have attracted someone's attention. Although, Shima was believed to be dead. The criminal that she was had no identity in the shinobi world. It would have been easy to escape notice. She didn't have a picture to put in the bingo book. Kakashi remembered the bandages around her face when they first met in battle; most likely another attempt to keep people from noticing her… along with the fact that no one she had ever met in battle had lived to tell their tale.

The familiar anger Kakashi felt over the whole thing returned in waves before it ebbed away as the memory of her hugging him in gratitude floated to his the forefront of his mind. It had been the last thing he had expected of her. She barely knew him these days, but she still had done the Shima-like thing and encompassed him in a hug he wasn't ready for. Her warmth froze him as her slender arms tightened against him. Kakashi had found it hard to not give in to his inner demands of telling her about their previous friendship, if one were to call it that.

Finally after hours of thinking nonstop, Kakashi felt sleep come to his aide. The shinobi pulled the blanket up over his bare torso. The sun would be up soon, but hopefully he would be able to get a few hours of sleep.

His hopes were in vain as he heard a light knocking on his apartment door. Opening his good eye, Kakashi groaned. If it weren't for the familiar chakra behind his door he would have said screw it and drifted back to sleep, but he knew that chakra. As he pulled on a random shirt, making sure his mask was in place, Kakashi didn't know if this visit was a curse or a blessing.

Pulling open his door, he saw the very woman that tormented his mind standing in her new gear with a thin smile on her lips. Shima waved at him as if it wasn't seven o'clock in the morning and they had planned this meeting beforehand. He rubbed the sleep out of his right eye. "What brings you to my apartment so early?" He tried to drain the sleep out of his voice as much as possible.

Shima crossed her arms. "No 'good morning, Shima'?" When he just looked at her blandly she sighed in surrender. The kunoichi used her fingers to point in the direction of her feet. "I need shoes."

Kakashi looked down to her bare feet with bored eyes. "Didn't you get any yesterday?"

"Obviously not or else I wouldn't be here." Shima gave him dubious look, calling him an idiot with her eyes. Kakashi smirked. He didn't miss the light blush on her cheeks that showed her embarrassment.

He pushed the door open all the way, signaling for her to come in. Shima walked in front of him with her eyes observing the apartment once again. Her eyes seemed to linger on the collection of Icha Icha books by the window sill. Kakashi was too composed to let his discomfort show.

"Were you expecting me to take you shopping again?" Kakashi closed the door quietly. His tone let her know that he wasn't up for anything of the sort, but he knew he would give in if she asked enough. It wasn't in him to deny Shima's company when she had just returned to him. He'd probably follow her anywhere if she asked it of him. Kakashi wouldn't let her know that, however.

Shima faced him. "You are my _escort_, right?" He let his eye narrow at her insinuation. Using that as an excuse to get away from Guy was one thing. Shima using it as blackmail was another. "I'm still new to Konoha and we both know I'll get lost in an hour." She took in his expression, or what she could see of it. "But if you really don't want to then I can just tell Guy that you're no longer my escort. I'm sure he'll be thrilled." Shima shot him her mischievous smile.

"That's a dirty trick," he said plainly as a way of not letting her know she had won the moment she had knocked on his door. It appeared to work flawlessly.

Shima's smile only brightened. "Should I wait outside while you get ready?" She gestured to his disheveled shirt and pants.

Kakashi thought about just having her stay while he changed, but shot it down. He had been reading too much Icha Icha. It was beginning to affect his thoughts. "I'll meet you in the kitchen," he said blandly. It was even harder than he thought to be around Shima. He hoped these little thought slip-ups would come to an end. But…well…he was a man after all.

Properly dressed in his casual wear, Kakashi wandered into the kitchen lazily. He put on the image that he was going there by chance, not because Shima had blackmailed him into meeting her for shopping.

Shima was enjoying breakfast, her favorite meal, at a table close to the back. The dining area was relatively empty due to the early hour, which made things easier in truth. The Hokage was still struggling to find a way to inform those that would recognize Shima of her amnesia and it was a risk allowing her to wander freely, but she was not a prisoner. She was a newly reinstated kunoichi of Konoha, which meant there was no reason to interfere with her freedom.

Though it would become a problem when people she wouldn't recognize began asking questions that could cause her to have a breakdown. Kakashi had no doubts Shima's will was as strong as it had been all those years, maybe even more so, but in her condition her mental state was weakened. If someone were to ask just the wrong question…Shima could be overcome with her emotions. Those were problems to be confronted at a later time.

When Kakashi closed in, he noticed that Shima was not alone. Guy shared the table with her, talking animatedly as he always did. It was a sight for sore eyes to see his two friends sharing a meal as they would have been if not for certain events. Things would have been so _different_ if Shima had never disappeared. But Kakashi knew that if she had not been captured, then she most likely would have been killed the day of her "death". He preferred amnesia.

"I am off to train! You should accompany me, Shima. After ten years I am looking forward to seeing your skills!" Guy winked at her and Kakashi heard her laugh awkwardly at the gesture. It must be so odd for her being around Guy without previous knowledge of his behavior.

Shima remained silent for quite a while and he guessed she was considering Guy's offer. How long had it been since Shima had sparred with anyone without planning to kill them? Kakashi didn't want to guess and didn't give Shima a chance to ditch their plans to spar with Guy. _She_ was the one to set up these plans in the first place. It wasn't jealously. It really wasn't.

"Shima has prior engagements, Guy." Kakashi didn't miss the slight twitch of her lips as he made his presence known. He knew her well enough to know he had been sensed the moment he entered the room, if not before.

Guy looked to Shima to which she shrugged. "I convinced him to take me shopping again." She shrugged. "But I'll take you up on that offer soon." Satisfied with her answer, Guy stood up to signal his departure. With a final wave the manic ninja was out of the building.

Kakashi took his place beside her as they wandered through the filling streets. The village began to wake up as the minutes went by. Steadily the streets filled to their usual flow. His hands twitched in his pockets as the silence dragged on. Usually comfortable silence was something he enjoyed, but Guy had put ideas into his head.

"Don't worry; I wasn't going to ditch you for Guy." Shima's words cut through the silence with knowing. Kakashi couldn't help but feel annoyed at how easily she had read him, but hid it with his usual laidback attitude.

"That would have meant I might have gotten in a few more hours of sleep."

"We can't have that." Shima laughed.

Kakashi questioned himself before speaking, "I have to admit, I'm curious about your abilities as well." It was true. Ever since he had fought Shima in the forest a niggling curiosity had been formed in the back of his mind. What was she capable of now? Did she remember her past techniques? Or were all her techniques meant to kill?

Shima looked down. "Have we ever sparred before?"

Kakashi took in her quiet tone. "A few times." _Many times…_

He knew he had once again confirmed that they had known each other, but was careful to not give up how close they had been. It would come to her in time is what he told himself.

"If we sparred now I don't know if it would be the same as then." He gave her a questioning glance. She nodded slowly. "When I woke up at Zaku's, I couldn't remember being a kunoichi. All of my skills had been hidden from me. I was a blank slate. The techniques I once knew are still hidden from me. What did I specialize in? What was I good at? Did I have a family technique? Those are questions I can't answer."

Kakashi nodded in understanding. When they were children, he had known most of Shima's techniques inside and out because of their long training sessions together. He wasn't able to accomplish most of them and he didn't want to. Shima's moves fit her perfectly, they weren't for him. But whenever she wanted to try out a new move, she came to him.

He wouldn't tell her the answers to her questions. Those were things she needed to find out on her own…with his help.

"Shima, Kakashi. I was expecting you." Hiruzen looked at the duo with fond eyes. Kakashi knew it was a nice sight for the aging man to see him and Shima as a unit again. The duo stood in front of the Hokage with Shima's new shoes firmly on her feet. "Shima, we'll begin the process of reinstating you today. It won't be a long process and should be over before this evening. Your dossier has to be updated and your paperwork has to be filled out. By tomorrow, if things go smoothly, you should be eligible for missions. After you feel you are back into the swing of things, we will assess your skill in battle and raise your status accordingly. It shouldn't be long before you begin receiving A and B rank missions again."

Shima took a deep breath at that bit of information. Kakashi felt tension leave her chakra as it was realized that no more interrogations were going to be involved. Shima was finally on her way to regaining her position within the village.

Her feet shuffled nervously as she bit her lip. "Lord Hokage…you said update my dossier. Do you have my previous one?" When the Hokage nodded knowingly, she smiled lightly. "Could I see it?"

Hiruzen smiled. "I thought you'd ask that." He handed her a file that had been lying on the side of his desk in one motion. It was as if he had been waiting to hand it to her. Kakashi watched as Shima opened it with wide eyes. The contents of the file were in his memory from looking over it a few times.

**Name: **Shima Himura

**Birthdate: **August 15th

**Gender: **Female

**Blood Type: **B

**Affiliation: **Konohagakure, Land of Fire

**Ninja Rank: **Jounin

**Ninja Registration: **011025

**Academy Grad. Age: **7

**Chunin Promotion Age: **10

**Jounin Promotion Age: **13

**Status: **Deceased

Shima seemed to have forgotten how to breathe as her eyes stayed glue on her file. It had been a few minutes since she had first opened the document and Kakashi wondered how many times she had already read over each entry. Finally, without lifting up her eyes, Shima spoke. "My birthday is August 15th?" Her voice was small as the question rolled out.

Sarutobi nodded. "You were born within our own hospital on that day, yes."

Shima laughed. "I can't remember ever having a birthday." Kakashi turned to look at her solemn face. "Well, let's get this over with. I'm ready to have something to do with my time." Shima's easygoing nature was a mask to hide her depression. Kakashi once again wanted to give her a reassuring embrace, but refrained. It wouldn't do any good in their current situation. She'd have to come to him for it to be right. Going to her would confuse her and possibly overwhelm her. One step at a time.

It wasn't long before Shima had left the office to take the picture needed for the dossier. When the two men were alone Hiruzen gave Kakashi a tired look. The silence stretched as he waited for the Hokage to speak.

"I didn't assign you to be her guardian, Kakashi." The Hokage pulled out his pipe to puff on it contentedly. His superior was referring to the fact Kakashi seemed to follow Shima to all of her appointments and led her around the village. It wasn't his duty, but he still showed.

"She doesn't remember her way throughout the village. Alone she would easily get lost. Since I brought her home, I feel responsible for her wellbeing." They both knew it wasn't just the fact that he had brought her back that directed his actions, but that remained in the air between them. No words were needed.

"Guy was also there to bring her back. He could easily escort her throughout Konoha." The Hokage wasn't one to tease, but he simply couldn't resist. He knew this wasn't about responsibility. It was personal for the Copy-Nin.

Kakashi grimaced. "I will be the one to watch over her," he paused, "I promised her mother, Lord Hokage."

The Hokage only nodded his head understanding.

It was late in the afternoon when Shima was able to leave the Hokage's Tower. Kakashi was almost surprised that the Third handled Shima's reinstatement himself, seeing as how he had enough paperwork to deal with, but remembered how Shima's return was still sensitive information. Some of the Chunin in the office had been in her class, which would lead to problems. Shima's missions would even by given out by Hiruzen, which was usually an honor the elite jounin and ANBU received; Kakashi included unless he finally received a team worth training.

As soon as the two were out of the building's door, Shima threw her head back with her arms wide open. Kakashi paused in his walking to see what she was doing. It looked like she was absorbing the sun's rays when she shouted out into the air, "I, Shima Himura, am a Hidden Leaf shinobi once more!" Her voice resonated in his ears, causing him to smile. _What a Shima-like thing to do…_

Instead of leading her back to the complex or to a sweet shop, Kakashi quietly led her to an empty training field away from the others without a word of protest from Shima. Given their earlier conversation she had probably guessed what he was up to and was alright with it. Kakashi was content with that. He had to settle his curiosities before they too consumed his thoughts. Curiosity was a killer if left alone.

Standing around twenty feet in front of her with his eye half-lidded in pretend disinterest, Kakashi watched her body instantly go on alert. She was no amateur. "How about a healthy spar for old time's sake?" His voice didn't give away the itching excitement at the concept. Adrenaline was already beginning to pump through his veins as it had whenever they had faced off like this. Guy and his score was 44 to 43, Kakashi guessed his and Shima's was closer to 88 to 88. They had a habit of constantly remaining within the other's league, but that was then. Was she stronger or weaker now without her signature techniques? Well, he was going to find out.

Shima's eyes seemed to sparkle. "For old time's sake." Her voice was higher than normal, probably feeling the same rush he was but for different reasons.

With only a nod, Kakashi tensed his shoulders. He remembered how easy it had been for her to throw him back a few feet. Her speed had caught him by surprise, but not this time. He'd let her make the first move and he waited…and waited. But Shima didn't move. Her posture was ready for attack, but she wasn't moving. That was when he knew something wasn't right. Kakashi spun around just in time to catch her arm that had been coming straight for his head. With her arm in his grasp, Shima kicked both of her feet into his stomach. Kakashi skidded back three feet, releasing her arm. Using the momentum of her speed, she flipped back gracefully.

The clone Shima had set up faded into the air with a small puff of cloud. He absently wondered when she had pulled that off when a minor shock caught him by surprise. Kakashi couldn't feel Shima's chakra. It was gone, absent. Even looking at the real Shima he couldn't feel anything. A smirk crossed his lips. As a sensor she had a talent for making her chakra disappear. He had forgotten that.

Kakashi ran toward her, zigzagging to make her eyes lag behind. Shima put her arms up in defense with a serious smile on her face. This was fun for her. Blocking his arms, Shima didn't leave a single opening. Kakashi swept out her legs while feinting a strike down on her head. Shima hit the ground and vanished in another puff of smoke. Immediately he spun to see her smiling at him.

"You shouldn't let people get behind you so easily." He let the dig slide in favor of dashing directly in front of her, landing a blow to her chest. She skidded back, holding the spot that would bruise. Her smile faded as she glared at him.

Then she did something that he hadn't expected. Shima ran around him in a circle at a speed that topped her previous speed by bounds. She left afterimages that he couldn't follow without his Sharingan. Going into a defensive position, Kakashi took the blow to his arms. How had she gotten that fast? Then it clicked. It was the same way Guy sped up when his weights were removed. That tan overcoat that she had worn must have been a training device even out in the field. It was admirable, really. Her speed with it challenged his own and without it her speed rivaled Guy's.

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_"Hey, Scarecrow. Let's make this interesting." Shima pulled out a kunai for their spar. He gave her a wary look before following suit. The noon sun crashed down on them in the middle of their usual training field. "If I win, you take me out to dinner for free. If I lose, you still take me out to dinner but I'll pay." _

_ His dark eye narrowed. "Your parents are on a mission, aren't they?" _

_ Shima nodded. "I really hate cooking, Scarecrow." _

_ "Fine." _

Shima was having a blast. It felt so natural to be fighting with Kakashi like this. Her moves were almost perfectly matched with his. When he feinted right, she caught him on the left. When she crouched for a pounce, he jumped over her. It was refreshing, but a little disconcerting. It was like they hadn't done this once or twice, but _many_ times. They were on the same wavelengths. Shima's eyes narrowed at the implication.

Were they teammates? _Why did you vanish after your team was killed?_ Pain shot up in her chest in the middle of a dodge, causing his foot to graze her side. Shima's eyes glazed over with forgotten days as Guy's searing question floated in her mind. If she blinked, she could see blood littering the ground of the field. Hallucinations were not a good thing, so Shima pushed her thoughts away to focus on her sparring partner. If her team was…killed, Shima internally winced with unknown pain, then Kakashi had not been her teammate which was the only reason she knew of for them to be so in sync.

_Hiding with Camouflage Technique_…the forgotten memory approached the surface and Shima felt her hands sliding into the seals she had no idea she knew. Adjusting her chakra just right Shima felt her image begin to become transparent to the naked eye. Her smile grew as she saw Kakashi's eye widen. It was nice to surprise him. She watched him search the area for her presence, but Shima had concealed her chakra too well. Setting herself up, Shima lunged for his unguarded back. Barreling into him, he was thrown a few feet while she skidded to a halt.

Kakashi stood with an almost visible frown. His hand lifted up to his hitai-ate to lift it from his concealed eye. Shima stopped smiling. There was something niggling at the back of her mind, but all she could think about was the fact that he had another eye. She had thought it was gone, but the scarred eye opened and Shima felt her heartbeat stop. _Blood red tomoe…_

_"So, you have to keep your other eye hidden because the Sharingan won't deactivate?" _

The Sharingan. A doujutsu only the Uchiha had possessed, but Kakashi had it. How? It was there, she knew why, but it escaped her grasp. She struggled with breathing as he spotted her through her camouflage. The stare wasn't malicious, but she felt like the eyes were piercing through her soul. She was taken back to her nightmare. Shima had looked into the same eyes she was looking at now when the darkness of her mind had crippled her sanity. He hadn't shown his eye in the battle against her and Genbo, so how did she know what it looked like? _Because I know him._

Shima dropped the jutsu with her eyes pointed to the ground. "I surrender." She couldn't look into those eyes anymore. It was bringing thoughts to mind that Shima needed to think about alone.

Kakashi seemed to be surprised by her sudden surrender, but nodded. Putting his hitai-ate back in place, he closed the distance. "You're a worthy opponent, Shima."

Shima nodded, not daring to meet his gaze again.

_Shima balanced her chakra to her feet evenly. Pushing herself of the bank, Shima adjusted the distribution of chakra to fit the demands of the pond below her. Taking careful steps, she went closer to the middle of the water. Each step she took filled her with more confidence. Now running along the surface, Shima laughed. It was actually pretty fun. She noted that a new presence joined her on the water. _

_ "What are you doing here, Scarecrow?" Her tone was light as she spoke. Shima danced around swiftly to meet his gaze. His eyes held a disinterested type of annoyance, which bothered her. Why should he be angry? He came looking for her, not the other way around. _

_ He shifted. "You weren't at the training grounds." She usually showed up when he went to train, but decided against it since the day before he was being a jerk. _

_ Shima's irritation faded as a giggle overcame her. "Did you miss me?" For the first time since meeting him, Scarecrow was the one to find her. It was a nice feeling. _

_ He spluttered. "No! I was just curious." Shima knew he was lying. Instead of getting angry again, Shima smiled while shooting water at him. The look on his face was priceless as he became drenched. Shima was bent over in laughter until a wave of water came crashing over her, making her lose her balance. She plunged into the water, coming up to glare at him. Shima stood back up, running to him. Before he reacted, Shima tackled him into the water. The two engaged in a massive water fight for the next hour. _

_ It was the first time Shima heard Scarecrow laugh. _


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: I can't believe I'm already at Chapter Eight! I'm updating it a lot faster than I thought I would... That's what happens when you have no life, I guess.**

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Chapter Eight

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_"Next match: Shima Himura and Jikkou Ganseki, combatants please come forward," the exam proctor spoke in a deep monotone. The Leaf audience shushed as they realized a member of the Himura family was next. Shima gave a fleeting glance to her team, her parents, and the serious boy with silver hair staring at her with…worry? She inhaled deeply, releasing her nerves. This wasn't the time to get nervous. She had made it this far. Shima launched herself over the arena's upper level railings with grace, landing opposite of her opponent. _

_ Jikkou was a few years older than her, maybe fourteen. Shima guessed he looked down on her for being so young, but age had little to do with skill in the world of shinobi. Scarecrow had graduated the Academy at five then passed the Chuunin Exams at age six. She could keep up with him, so this guy didn't stand a chance. Between Takemaru-sensei, Scarecrow, and her parents Shima had the best trainers Konoha could provide. _

_ The foreign genin glared at her with icy hate in his brown orbs. It was an intimidation factor, but Shima was better than that. Returning the gaze with a blank face Shima waited for the match to begin. "Combatants ready?" Both genin merely kept their eyes on the other. "Begin!" _

_ "I suggest you back down, little girl," Jikkou spat the words at her. "This is a competition for real ninja, not girls pretending to be shinobi." _

_ Shima let a smirk grace her blank lips. "Then why are you here?" It was a low blow, but it seemed to work. Jikkou's chakra flared in anger. Shima was taking his attacks on her morale and using it against him. _

_ "You really are as stupid as you look." Jikkou pulled a kunai out of his pouch. "I won't go easy on you, so be ready." Shima was ready. She had been ready the moment she entered the exam, the moment she received her hitai-ate. This wasn't a game. This was what would earn her the title of chuunin. If she failed here she would have to do it all over again, but Shima had no intention to fail. Her parents were watching, her team was watching, Scarecrow was watching, the Hokage himself was watching, most importantly…her village was watching. Shima would not fail in front of her village. The humiliation would eat her alive. _

_ Using her index finger, Shima gestured for him to bring it. It seemed to flare up the foreign genin's chakra. The boy was not very good at concealing his irritation. Once he realized his intimidation wasn't working on her, a ten year old girl, he became angry. It told Shima two possibilities: he was using intimidation to cover up his lack of skill or he was angry about being put up against a "little girl". Earning her hitai-ate had made her an adult in the eyes of Konoha. She was no longer a little girl. Jikkou was not in for an easy battle. _

_ Speed was her friend through every twist, every turn, every spin. She dodged his attacks easily enough, lowering his morale by jumping onto his shoulders in a dodge. If Shima kept up her antics, Jikkou would lose his fragile calm and the battle would be hers. _

_ The battle had been won the moment Jikkou let his anger overcome his rationality. Shima clutched the open wound in her abdomen with a calm mask as her opponent fell into a bloody heap on the arena floor. Shima knew he wouldn't stand back up this time. A twinge of pain forced her mask to slip slightly. She had chosen to take the hit in favor of getting the jump on him when he would least expect it, when he thought something as irrelevant as pain would cripple her ability to continue. Shima was a kunoichi with the adrenaline of battle running through her veins; pain could be ignored until her opponent was defeated. _

_ "Winner is Shima Himura!" The crowd burst into a round of cheers. Shima could easily pick out the shouts of her team which were easily the loudest cheers in the whole arena. Lifting her dulling eyes to the crowd she smiled at her team, her sensei. The Hokage clapped his old hands slowly with a small smile on his lips. Scarecrow let his eye wink into a smile when her eyes landed on him. _

_ Medics carried Jikkou out of the stadium. Shima watched them leave before her vision began to dance dangerously. The blood loss from her wound was affecting her. Swaying on her feet, she took a step to exit when she was scooped up into a pair of strong arms. Slightly unfocused eyes looked into the green eyes of her father. "You did well, Shima-bird." _

_ Sayuri stood beside him, patting her daughter's head. "If those fools don't make you chuunin then they really have lost their minds." _

There was barely a breeze as Shima made her way throughout the village after another one of her D-rank missions. It had been three weeks of lame low-grade missions that kept her busy, helped her pay the bills, but it was incredibly boring after doing so many of them. Her status as a jounin was on hold until her memories returned, so she was basically a genin all over again. Shima prayed that soon she'd be given missions that held a little bit more excitement, but had little hope until the large chunks of her memories were revealed.

Shima's calm steps came to a sudden halt as she stood in front of what looked like a cemetery. The small gate towered over her ominously as her eyes lingered over the image of headstones. Without conscious thought, Shima stepped through the gate into the field of the buried dead with a serious look in her eyes. Her lips thinned as sadness hummed within her. This place held something for the kunoichi…and it wasn't something pleasant.

At first she walked through each row individually, reading each name with interest. Several headstones were read before Shima's feet began leading her to a destination they knew well. It seemed while she couldn't consciously remember ever walking through this place, her subconscious mind knew along with her body. The path delved into memory as a headstone near the end of the row caught her attention.

The headstone seemed to shine in the sunlight like a beacon to her past as Shima knelt down to inspect the stone. Her fingers followed the grooves of a name she had come to know well in her brief flashbacks. An answer to a question she had been terrified to ask lie right before her eyes. Shima's eyes fought back the burn of unshed tears, refusing to show weakness in front of a man that wasn't even there.

_Hitoshi Himura…_

Images of a tall man with burgundy hair and green eyes that shined in even the dimmest of lights flooded her mind as she touched her father's name. _Her father…_ The man that had been outside of the Academy waiting on Little Shima to walk out as a newly graduated genin. The man that had carried her off of the arena floor after her final part of the Chuunin Exam. The man that had called her Shima-bird with so much affection in his words. The man that had given his life for his village. The man Shima hadn't remembered.

It burned her chest to watch the memories of her father flash before her open eyes. Her heart hurt as shame washed over her for forgetting the man that had given her life, that had raised her, that had trained her, that had been nothing but proud of his daughter even after her first failed graduation exam. His loving green eyes seemed to burn into her mind as her hands began to shake with hidden pain. Shima closed her eyes to in a weak attempt to push back the emotions surging through her, but it was in vain. When her eyes closed the images of Hitoshi only intensified.

This was what she needed, in truth. Shima needed to find the missing parts of herself lingering in her mind not only for herself, but to continue on in her career. It was fear that had kept her from seeking this kind of information out earlier; fear of the pain the answers to her questions would bring. Often during the weeks of her return, Shima wondered about her parents. They were both shinobi. It wasn't unheard of, it was actually expected, for shinobi to die at young ages. The memories she had seen of them were pleasant. Shima had been hesitant to discover that the pleasant memories ended with the untimely deaths of her parents.

_The chuunin, Shima, rushed home after a long day of training with her team. Her adrenaline was still pumping from completing a new jutsu she had thought of on her own. It was exciting to come up with a new jutsu and Shima couldn't wait to tell her parents. With a bright smile, Shima saw her two-story house come into sight. It was only when her senses caught the grieving chakra of her mother that her steps slowed and her smile fell from her face._

_ Sayuri, a sensor much more experienced than Shima, walked out of the house with a calm face, but eyes that held a limitless amount of sadness. It was in her eyes that Shima began to know what was in store. Her mother was putting on a strong front for the twelve year old Shima's sake, but her daughter saw the bags under her puffy eyes. Sayuri had been crying…and Shima knew few things that could make her mother cry out of such grief. _

_ "Mom?" Shima asked carefully as she approached her mother. Sayuri's lip quivered at the sound of her daughter's voice, but no more tears fell. The older kunoichi knelt down, wrapping her arms around Shima's small frame tightly for comfort they both needed. When her mother's arms embraced her, Shima swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "Is Dad okay?" It was a stupid question; incredibly stupid. Sayuri wouldn't shed tears if her father was okay. The times he ended up in the hospital Sayuri had merely hugged him more than usual with loving words leaving her lips. She had never shed tears as long as she knew her husband was alive. _

_ It was when Sayuri's arms tightened with her chakra fluctuating sadly that Shima knew her suspicions were correct. Tears blurred her vision as the realization sunk in. Shima knew her father wasn't okay. Her mother's quiet words only confirmed her thoughts. "Daddy isn't coming home this time, Shima-bird." _

The old pain returned with vigor as the memory of her mother explaining her father had died settled in Shima's chest. There was no stopping the tears that formed in her eyes. It was hard to breathe as she wept quietly for the man she had forgotten, but now remembered with clarity. Hitoshi had been a great man; better than even the Hokage in Shima's childish eyes. Her father had always been invincible to her, had always felt untouchable by the cruel strokes of death. Then one day Shima was forced to understand that her father was human just like everyone else.

But he had died bravely for his village and had not gone down without a fight. Hitoshi had died to protect the rest of his team from certain death. He had stood in front of the piling enemies without a hint of fear, only honor as a Konoha shinobi. Her father had fought with everything he had in the name of his village, his family, and while he had died that day Hitoshi Himura would always be remembered as a great shinobi. That was what his teammates and the Hokage had said at his funeral. Shima couldn't help at the time but think her father would have been embarrassed to hear such things. He was a humble man that lived for his village and his family, not for glory…even when he deserved it.

It was Hitoshi's death that had made Shima's loyalty to the village strengthen. It was her father's sacrifice that made her appreciate human life, even the lives she was taking. When the grieving period had ended Shima had stood in front of the very headstone she kneeled in front of now and swore to her father with a determined face that she would become a kunoichi as brave as him. Shima swore that day to love Konoha as her father had, to try her best no matter how grim the outcome might be, to force her body to be the strongest it could be. It was because of him that Shima survived many missions that could have easily claimed her life.

_ Thank you so much, Dad. If it weren't for you and mom I wouldn't be the woman, the kunoichi I am today. _Shima silently spoke to her father's grave as if the man himself was listening to his daughter's words. When her violet eyes opened Shima almost swore that her father stood beside her with that kind smile on his face, his eyes gleaming with love. Though she felt weak for showing her tears to him, Shima knew he'd understand.

A sad smile graced her lips as her hand reached up to wipe away her tears. Shima stood gracefully, looking down at the name placed on his headstone. Under his name were the simple sentiments: _Brave shinobi, loving father and husband, honored citizen of Konoha_. It was not enough to encompass the person that her father was, but Shima was satisfied with the words. It was when she looked at the base of the stone that Shima's eyes saw three bouquets of flowers that still looked fresh. Absently she wondered who had placed them.

A light hum of chakra called for her attention. The kunoichi knew it had been there the whole time she had grieved for her father, but trusted it enough to not judge her for her falling tears. Without turning away from her father's grave, Shima spoke. "You can come out now, Kakashi."

It wasn't a second later before she felt the jounin walk up beside her. His solid form next to her felt like a strong wall for her to lean on that Shima had come to appreciate as much as his company. Kakashi had become a common sight for her in the past three weeks she had been home. The poor man was the sole victim of Shima's early morning wake-ups. It was a routine between the two. Shima would wake him up, they would set a meeting time and place, Kakashi wouldn't show up for almost an hour, Shima would leave the meeting place to visit the sweets shop or ramen stall, Kakashi would find her with an odd look on his face as if he was angry that she hadn't waited, the two would talk about frivolous things or walk in comfortable silence for a few hours, and then they would go their separate ways to do it all over again. She enjoyed having him around. His mere presence comforted her constantly rushing mind.

"Did you know my dad?" Shima asked with a small voice meant only for the two of them. Kakashi probably knew that with her questions she was slowly trying to work out the puzzle of their previous relationship and the jounin let her know with his answers that he didn't mind.

"He was one of the best jounin of his time," Kakashi said, carefully avoiding the real question. It was something she was used to; him giving an answer to satiate her curiosity to a point, but dodging the meaning underneath. She knew he understood her intentions. He would be a fool of a shinobi to not read the hidden meaning in her innocent questions. Was he afraid of her being overwhelmed? Was he avoiding revealing too much too soon?

Shima let his dodging slide as she always did. The man was stubborn when he wanted to be and nothing she said would cause him to fully open up…not yet. If he felt it wasn't time, then Shima had to trust his judgment. She decided to just go with the flow of conversation. "He died before he was able to see me become a jounin." The words were tinged with sadness.

Kakashi put a comforting hand on her shoulder, the only physical boundary he ever crossed. "I'm sure he was standing right beside you as you were promoted." His voice sounded as if he was not guessing, but stating a fact. The simple words helped her more than he would know.

Shima looked up from the headstone to look at him. His eye winked into a reassuring smile she couldn't see. Before she could think about it, her arms pulled him into a hug he wasn't ready for. It was the second time she had embraced him. She had said the first hug would be her last time doing something so bold to a man she barely knew, but it felt so natural to hug him. Besides that, Kakashi was less of a stranger and more of a friend she had come to depend on. Her arms tightened as emotions washed through her system. His stiffened body relaxed into the hug reluctantly as his hand patted her back slowly.

Burying her face into his chest, Shima breathed in his scent. Just like the last time, Shima felt the familiarity of being against him in this way. It was as if her body fit perfectly against his for this specific purpose; to hug out her troubles. It was when the lingering scent of ramen tickled her nose that she pulled away.

"You went to Ichiraku's without me?" Shima put on her playfully wounded eyes, adding a bit of shock to her voice. "How could you?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I can't look for you every time I get hungry." Shima gave him a hard stare. "It was after a mission, I hadn't eaten in a week!"

"Your mission only lasted for two days," Shima deadpanned. It was early on in their newfound friendship that she learned the jounin liked to use lame excuses when she hounded him. It was kind of humorous if it didn't involve food.

Kakashi sighed in defeat. "You're going to make me take you out for ramen now, aren't you?"

Shima grinned evilly. "At least you're smart enough to know how these things work." Kakashi merely nodded, accepting his fate. She said a silent goodbye to her father's headstone before walking out of the cemetery with Kakashi in tow. To the outside observer it would appear their conversation had simply been playful banter between friends, but it was more than that. It was the finest form of comfort the two had worked out in silent agreement: acting normally when Shima's painful memories resurfaced. It did wonders on her mood.

Distantly Shima was aware that she was becoming incredibly attached to the silver-haired shinobi…it didn't slip her mind that she was also becoming quite dependent on his presence.

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_"Sometimes I wonder if you're actually an Akimichi in disguise," Kakashi sighed as he watched Shima devour countless sticks of dango in a matter of minutes. Her sweet tooth was really a pain to both of their wallets. If her teeth didn't rot out, Kakashi would end up broke. _

_ Shima, with a senbon hanging out of her mouth, rubbed her chin in thought. It looked like she was actually questioning her parentage. "Nope, I can't do the Body Expansion Jutsu." Shima went back to her sweets before her head shot up, eyes glaring daggers at him. "Wait…did you just call me fat!?" The young girl had a senbon in hand, ready to throw it at him. Judging by her position, if Kakashi didn't fix this soon he'd have to go to the hospital with a senbon in his throat. _

_ "Not at all! I just meant you have the appetite of an Akimichi." He held up his hands as a sign of peace, but Shima wasn't appeased. Her anger only seemed to flare. Kakashi knew he was looking death in the eyes. With a swallow, he gave it a last effort for the sake of his life. "You're kind of cute when you have a senbon sticking out of your mouth." It was such a stupid thing to say. You look cute with a senbon in your mouth? How idiotic could he get? He was a shinobi. Kakashi should have been able to come up with something better than _that_. She was going to kill him with the senbon she looked so "cute" with and she wouldn't show mercy. He said his goodbyes to his sensei, to his ninken, to the old lady he helped with groceries last week. _

_ "I do?" Shima's anger basically vanished in the blink of an eye. "Maybe I should chew on senbon more often," she said casually. Without another word, the teenager swallowed more sweets before paying the cashier, leaving him behind. Kakashi stared wide-eyed at her shrinking form thinking three things: he felt like a man that had narrowly dodged death, it was ridiculous that Shima could make him fear for his life in the first place, and did she want to chew on senbon more often to make him think she was cute? _

_Shaking away his thoughts, Kakashi left to catch up to her. _

Kakashi's silent steps were slower than his usual laidback gait after Shima left Ichiraku's to see if she could pick up another mission before the day was over. The initial urge to follow her had passed. There was no reason to trail after her everywhere she went any longer. With her missions leading her all over the large village Shima could be trusted not to get lost. That fact didn't stop the Copy-Nin from feeling the need to follow her. It was unsettling for someone as apathetic as him to want to make sure Shima went _everywhere_ safely. But… What if she disappeared again? That thought was paranoia raising its ugly head, but it was strong enough to make the jounin want Shima in his sights at all times.

Unfortunately for him, his personal leave had ended the moment she had begun receiving missions. Kakashi was back on duty and he had his career to think about. He did make it a point to get home in record time once the mission was completed, searching for her the moment he walked through the Konoha gate.

His thoughts were as swirled as they had been the day he had laid his eye on Shima for the first time in ten years. It should have bothered him that the only thing he seemed to think about was the kunoichi with the burgundy hair, but it didn't…not anymore. He could think of hundreds of worse things to think about. With his childhood friend in his thoughts, Kakashi felt no need to linger on his guilt over the mistakes he had made. Instead his mind focused on the moments Shima and him have shared since her return.

In all honesty, he didn't mind the early morning whirlwind that was Shima. It was all a front that he put on for his own dignity. In the past he had spent the early hours of the day wallowing in self-hate before the Memorial Stone, but now Shima knocked on his door almost every morning to drag him off to whatever activity she wanted to do that day. It wasn't a bad way to spend the morning, he decided. It felt good to be the one Shima came to for company; it felt like the days before her disappearance.

Kakashi's feet led him on a path he knew well without much thought involved. The familiar house at the end of the road seemed to call to him like an old friend. Its simple structure hid the greatness of the building. He had unwillingly allowed the house to become a second home to him at the urging of Shima. The jounin couldn't count how many times he had trained with her in the backyard, ate dinner in the dining room, slipped into the bedroom window when Shima overslept.

Bypassing the front door, Kakashi slipped into the house's fence. The backyard was smaller than he remembered, but the large garden off to the side took up most of the empty space once used for training. Kakashi walked carefully into the garden knowing what would happen if he stepped on a single plant. "Hello, Sayuri."

The older woman looked up from picking weeds to smile up at him. "Kakashi, you surprised me." Kakashi gave her a disbelieving look. The only reason he hadn't checked the house for her in the first place was due to Sayuri spiking her chakra gently to let him know she was in the garden. The woman was in her forties, but her abilities had not dampened in the years of retirement. Shima's ability as a sensor was not a random gift; it was inherited from her mother. Sayuri had been an elite sensor during her time on duty. The older woman had most likely sensed him coming the moment he turned the corner four blocks away. "It wouldn't hurt to play along with an old woman's jokes, my boy."

"You're hardly old, Sayuri."

Sayuri scoffed as she dusted off her legs. "In shinobi years I am old, Kakashi. I'm just lucky my hair hasn't turned grey yet." She smiled at him warmly as she stood up to her full height. Age had been incredibly kind to Shima's mother. If not for the worn lines on her nearly youthful face, the woman wouldn't look a day over thirty. The long brown hair wrapped in a bun still held the shine it had in her youth, her brilliant violet eyes matched Shima's in both color and luster, and her body had not begun the process of breaking down. He was sure Sayuri could still be on active duty if she desired. "It's been a couple of days since you have visited. How have you been? Have you eaten a real meal since your last visit?"

Kakashi smiled at Sayuri's concern for his wellbeing. It had always been this way. The moment Shima dragged him into her home Sayuri had taken him under her wing. Every time he would visit, which was often even to this day, Sayuri scolded him for things a mother would. It led to her becoming the only maternal figure in his life, whether he accepted it at first or not. "I just took Shima out for ramen before I came here."

Sayuri's eyes softened at the sound of her daughter's name. "That girl needs to have a healthier diet. Does she still have that sweet tooth of hers?"

Kakashi nodded. "If possible, it has gotten worse." He recalled the many trips to the sweet shop in the past three weeks. The vendor had a new favorite customer that filled his register regularly.

Shima's mother laughed gently. "I'm surprised her teeth haven't fallen out yet," a soft expression crossed her face as memories of her daughter clouded her eyes. "How is she, Kakashi?" Sayuri looked at him with a certain brightness in her eyes that was reserved for her only child, her late husband, and him.

"Shima's fitting back into the village well. It won't be long before she regains her status as jounin." Kakashi watched the soft happiness play over Sayuri's face. Shima's mother had been the only person besides the Hokage that Kakashi had told of her daughter's return. He had never been held as tight as he had when the words "Shima's alive" left his mouth and reached her ears. The older woman had shown him her happy tears for the first time in the years he had known her.

"That's good to hear. I'm so glad." Sayuri looked as if her eyes would mist over at any moment, the news of her daughter being alive still something she was getting used to. "It still feels like a dream knowing my little girl is alive, that she's home. It feels like only yesterday that she left the house for the last time." Her words trembled at the end. The memory of her daughter's last day in the home she had grown up in was still a raw one for the elder kunoichi.

Kakashi's eyes showed his compassion. It still felt like a dream to him, too. Not a day went by that he thought of their last moments at least once. "Shima found Hitoshi's grave this afternoon."

Sayuri's head shot up. "Did she remember?" Kakashi nodded. Shima's mother put a hand to her lips.

"Hitoshi was there with her for those long minutes she mourned over his headstone," Kakashi paused as his emotions bubbled up in his throat. While the jounin had watched Shima kneel down in front of her father's grave he had felt a shift in the air. In those moments, it felt as if the large man was among them pulling them into one of his customary embraces. "For a brief moment I envisioned him standing beside her with his hand over her shoulder as he had when Tamashi died."

Shima's earlier question came to mind as the shinobi remembered their time in the cemetery. _"Did you know my dad?" _Kakashi had known Hitoshi Himura as much as he knew Sayuri. Both of Shima's parents had welcomed him into their home with kind smiles without a word of complaint of their constant guest. Hitoshi had watched them train in the backyard, giving pointers every now and then. It wasn't uncommon for the man to wrap the two of them in one of his hugs at the end of the day. If Kakashi had allowed it, Hitoshi could have easily filled the hole his own father had left behind as Sayuri had filled the hole left behind by a mother he never knew.

"I think it's time for you two to be reunited," Kakashi said with a calm voice.

_ The hospital room was silent save for the pounding heart of Sayuri Murasaki. Her violet eyes scanned the sleeping form in the hospital bed a hundred times over before an unsteady hand reached out to rub the cheek of her only child that slept peacefully in her coma. "She's really alive." _

_ It had been an hour since Kakashi had knocked on the older woman's door, giving the news of her daughter's return. She had been completely shocked to learn that the daughter thought to be dead for ten long years was actually alive after all this time. When she had asked to see her, Kakashi had obliged easily. Denying Sayuri was just as hard for him as denying Shima; almost impossible. _

_ There was a look of pure peace as Sayuri rubbed her daughter's cheek. "Is there any chance of her remembering me?" The words would have sounded sad if not for the familiar determination twisted in the tone of her voice. Sayuri was not a weak soul. If an obstacle was put in front of her she would come up with a hundred ways to get over it. _

_ "There is a slim chance, but with how long Shima was under the effects of the seal there is a better chance of her having to start from scratch." _

_ Sayuri only nodded. Still rubbing Shima's cheek, she spoke to him. "You brought her home, Kakashi. There are no words that can express my gratitude, nothing I can do to show you how grateful I am. Just know that I am thankful she had a friend like you, my boy. If anyone else had seen her as a rogue they might have executed her on sight and she would have officially died a traitor. Now Shima has a second chance at the life she wanted, the life she deserved." Sayuri approached him. "You were always like a son to me." She pulled him into an embrace. _

_ Kakashi hugged her back awkwardly. _

_ "Watch over her for me, Scarecrow. Make sure she has someone there for every painful memory that returns." _

_ "That was my intention," he said softly. _

_ "I know. But could you promise a worried mother just as a formality?" When he did, she smiled up at him. "When she is ready…I'd like to see her."_

_._

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_._

**You can expect a mother-daughter reunion coming up. Yay! **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

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"Shima Himura back from the grave without even a hello. What has this world come to?" A woman's voice Shima had not been expecting distracted her from the dango in her hand. Her gaze met the playful, disappointed eyes of a stranger. The woman wore a smug frown on her face. Shima could see a much smaller version of this woman in her mind, but the name danced out of her grasp.

"I'm sorry?" Shima's voice was as unsure as she felt. It was there, _right there_, but the name of this woman would not reach the surface. Shima _knew_ who this was deep down. It was in her mind, but she didn't have the tools to reach it. This was her first time interacting with someone who had known her other than Kakashi, the Hokage, Guy, and that Asuma guy who had bought her a pack of cigarettes the other day. But all of them knew about her 'condition', her memory loss. Shima wasn't sure if this woman knew or not and that was troubling.

The woman huffed. "You know, I put flowers at the memorial every year on your birthday. Ten years of flower bouquets and sticks of dango wasted at the bottom of that damned stone and you can't even say hello after your return? Some thanks I get!" The woman's hands were thrown up in exasperation. "To top it off, I get word you've been home for _three weeks_! I'm hurt, baa-chan." The woman clutched her chest dramatically.

_Baa-chan? _Why the hell was this woman only a year younger than her calling her a grandma?

_"Stop calling me that! You're only a year younger than me, Anko!" _

Ah, the name rang in her mind clear as day. Like a key had been turned, the memories shot back to Shima in a few blinks of her eyes. Sparring sessions over who was paying for the sweets that day, dango eating contests, hitting a smaller Anko over the head at being called a grandma. It was a flood of fun times, of laughter, that had slipped back to her as if it were just yesterday. The flood was familiar to Shima after experiencing the same thing at her father's headstone.

"You're still calling me that? I thought you learned your lesson the last time I beat your ass." Shima smirked at Anko. The younger woman's eyes lit up with mischief when a smirk of her own crossed her lips.

"Ha, yeah right. I'll always call you baa-chan. Try beating my ass now, grandma." Anko winked in challenge. Shima would be sure to accept that challenge. "So, where have you been for the last ten years? The Leaf hasn't been the same without your ass!" Anko laughed a little at her own joke, but there was more in that question than she let on. Why were you considered dead? What happened to you? Why didn't you know me the moment I said your name? Those were the questions she was asking and Shima didn't know how to answer them.

"Why, because there were more sweets for you?" The conversation was light, but Anko knew Shima was dodging. An onlooker would believe they were just two old friends catching up, but that was the point. Ninja were excellent at putting on facades while the real conversation went by unseen.

Anko only burst out in laughter, practically holding her sides. "That's the baa-chan I know so well." Her laughter subsided. "You're still the same, Shima. You know it took me a total of three seconds to recognize that hair of yours? I almost didn't believe it when Asuma told me you were home, but here you are."

"Yeah, well. He was part of the group that brought me back, so he knows better than almost anyone."

Anko's face became serious. "What happened, baa-chan?"

Shima didn't get a chance to answer when a buzz hit her senses just right. _It's about time, slowpoke. _Kakashi walked up to the table the two women shared with a cheerful demeanor. Shima gestured for him to sit down. "Took you long enough, I could have been around the village four times by now."

Kakashi shrugged. "You wouldn't believe traffic." The excuses he gave were so flimsy Shima didn't know whether to consider it funny or pathetic half of the time.

Anko looked between Shima and Kakashi like she had seen a ghost before her playful smile returned. "Kakashi, why didn't you tell me Shima was home? It's not fair of you to hog her all to yourself."

Kakashi merely gave her a bored look. "There just wasn't time, Anko. I was sure you'd find her eventually."

"Bullshit. Now, baa-chan, since your personal keeper is here," she gestured to Kakashi, "why don't you tell me why you didn't recognize me when I first showed up, hm?" She had a look that said 'explain. Now." Shima wasn't aware of any secrecy clause on her return and obviously people would be curious, so she told her. Anko had been her friend, she deserved to know. It was a big shock to the younger jounin. Her jaw almost fell to the floor once or twice. "Sounds like something that snake bastard, Orochimaru, would do." A venomous scoff left her mouth. "Well, you're back now without some memory seal. How about we have a dango eating contest for old time's sake?"

After the contest, which Shima lost, Anko left the table with a wave. Shima waved back, feeling an eye staring at her. She gave Kakashi a dubious look. "Do you read your porn on missions, too?"

Kakashi turned a page nonchalantly. "That would be unprofessional. And this is not porn. It is adult-themed literature."

"Right," Shima scoffed. Finishing the rest of her sweets, she licked her lips with a sigh.

"I did have a surprise for you, but if you're going to keep picking on my book then…" Kakashi turned another page without any emotion on his face. It appeared he wasn't going to continue.

Shima's attention was grabbed in a heartbeat. "A surprise?" Kakashi nodded. "Ha, I didn't mean what I said. It's not porn or anything as vulgar as that. It's quality literature, right?" Shima tried so very hard to keep any sarcasm out of her voice. Kakashi nodded acceptingly at her flattery. "Do I get the surprise?"

"Even though I am not entirely convinced, yes."

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Opening the pouch on her hip, Shima pulled out a lighter. The flame swallowed the end of her previously unlit cigarette. Shima let her eyes close as the nicotine worked its way into her system. The first cigarette of the day was her favorite, right next to a cigarette right after a big meal. Inhaling, the comforting burn traveled down her throat into her lungs. Shima blew out the smoke through her nose, feeling like a dragon.

"When did you start smoking?" Kakashi didn't lift his eyes from his book as he asked the question. Shima cast a sideways glance in his direction. He shrugged. "I'm curious."

Her head tilted back a little as she took another drag of the tobacco that had become her favorite source of comfort, stability, satisfaction. When she was pissed off she lit a cigarette. If life was beginning to feel like a mess Shima would chain smoke until she felt better. She needed half a pack a day just to feel normal. It wasn't like they affected her ability as a kunoichi. They were just always there for her when things got tough…kind of like Kakashi was always there. _But I don't have to pay for him. _A giggle almost left her mouth when that thought showed up.

"Since I was sixteen," Shima finally answered his question. Giving him another look, she decided to give him the other answer he was looking for. _Why_ did you start smoking? It was a valid question, if not a little personal. "It had been two years since I had woken up from my 'concussion' and I was cracking under Zaku's constant glare. He didn't want me to be a _person_. The only thing he wanted me to be was an obedient killing machine listening to his every command…no matter how _heartless_ it was. It was hard for me. I didn't _want_ to kill people like that. I wanted a purpose…something that made me who I was. In Zaku's employment you aren't allowed individuality. Genbo got away with drinking and reading porn because Zaku wouldn't get rid of his personal trainer for the new recruits or his seals master no matter how many times he threatened to." Shima paused, she was getting off topic. "Anyway, I was losing it. It was so much going through my mind, along with that…more than half of my life was missing. At night I heard laughter, cries, whispers of the past all coming back to haunt my sleep. The headaches were hampering my abilities and Zaku was considering letting me go. In his terms letting someone go means killing them without mercy, erasing everything about them to keep his secrets hidden." Inhaling deeply, a fresh fear rose inside of her very core. Shima had escaped. Zaku's secrets had been given to the Leaf Village.

Would he come for her? Shaking it away, she continued. "One day after training, Genbo told me what Zaku had said. It scared me to my bones. I had _watched _him take care of employees that didn't make the cut. That was not a pretty sight." Shima sighed.

"My sensei asked if I wanted to live. No matter how unhappy or low my existence was, I wanted to live because I knew there was more out there. I told him that. So…Genbo handed me a cigarette. Old man said I wasn't allowed to drink yet." Puffing on the cigarette in her hand, Shima gave Kakashi a look. He didn't appear to be listening at a first glance, but she could tell he was. Either way the story had partly been for herself. It felt nice to get it off her chest, for someone to know. "That first cigarette didn't make the thoughts go away, the guilt any less, but it helped me fight it off. After that I almost always had a cigarette in my mouth until the thoughts retreated. I cut down after the nightmares stopped…" Shima chuckled. "I thought having a bad habit made me a person; that smoking kept me from turning into the soulless monster Zaku wanted."

Kakashi let a deep breath leave him when he was sure she was done. Shima didn't want to meet his eye just yet, so she pointed her eyes up to the sky with her cigarette dangling out of her mouth. "You always have been, always will be, Shima Himura of Konoha. I think you would have been okay without the cigarettes, but if they helped you stay sane then I guess they're not that bad." Shima lowered her eyes from the sky to look at him. It was such an out of character thing for him to say, but like all of the things he said during these times it made her feel better.

"So, I guess your porn keeps you sane, too?" Shima gave him a little smirk as her eyes returned to the sky.

"Adult-themed literature is the correct term, thank you. Be nice to my book or else no surprise for you," he said with a glare. Offhandedly, he added, "It…helps."

Shima nodded, finishing her cigarette. "Then I guess it's not that bad." There was no sarcasm to hide in that statement. They both had bad habits that kept them the people they were, whether they really needed them or not.

The sense of familiarity she had grown used to began washing over her as they turned a corner. It was like she had walked this same path before…many times. The roads seemed etched in her memory; the images of her running these same roads were becoming clearer with each step she took. Shima's breath caught. This was like her father's grave all over again. Her body knew which turns to take, which roads to cross. Kakashi didn't even have to tell her when they were at the last turn because Shima already knew.

Shima's heart sped up when the two-story house at the end of the road came into view. Her eyes closed in recollection. One large kitchen she used to make her lunches in with a scowl, the dining room her family shared meals in, a living room that had the feeling of home centered in on the couch, a bedroom at the end of the hall by the staircase that her parents shared, a bathroom across from the living room that was much larger than hers upstairs, the stairs that creaked on the fourth step, a study her father spent hours in, her bedroom that had easy access to the roof. Her eyes shot open. The house they were walking up to had been _her_ house; the house she had grown up in.

They headed for the fence surrounding the backyard before even coming close to the front door. Instead of questioning it, Shima just followed Kakashi as he pushed the fence gate open. She had a decent idea of what to expect, but there was no preparing her for what she saw when that gate opened all the way.

There, in a large garden full of dozens of different plants, stood a woman bent over plucking weeds out of the soil. The older woman's long brown hair was tied up in a neat bun, her eyes focused on her work. Shima couldn't see her face, but she didn't have to. It wasn't necessary to see the woman's face to know that her face would resemble Shima's with violet eyes that matched hers to a T. The familiar way the woman stood, the feel of chakra as gentle as rolling waves. They only pointed to one person. One person Shima had been wondering about since seeing her father's headstone. One person Shima had not wanted to search for out of fear for what she might find. One person she wanted to see more than anyone.

Sayuri Murasaki. _Mother_…

Shima took a tentative step forward while Kakashi remained by the gate with an unreadable expression on his masked face. Her heart was beating wildly with each inch she crossed. It was like seeing something from a lifetime ago to see her mother standing before her. Releasing the suppression on her chakra, Shima dislodged the lump in her throat.

"Mom?"

Sayuri's head shot up at the sound of her daughter's voice and the feel of her little girl's chakra. Both were things the aging woman thought she would never experience again. Her violet eyes latched onto Shima's with relieved shock. Briefly, her eyes drifted to the man at the gate who gave her a single nod. Sayuri's eyes misted over as her daughter inched closer to her. "Shima-bird, you're home."

Hearing the nickname her parents had given her as a child in flashbacks was nothing compared to hearing it in person. Her mother's voice rang in Shima's mind as the memories flooded back just as they always did in these kind of circumstances. The flood was full of happiness, of love. Shima's own eyes watered up as the memories filled her mind like they had never left. Shima nodded her head. "Yeah, Mom, I'm home."

Sayuri stepped out of the garden. "Well, come here and give your mother a hug." Shima didn't have to be told twice as she was surrounded by her mother's arms. As the two clashed in a much needed embrace, they both let happy tears fall from their matching eyes. It felt so good to be in her mom's arms again. Shima breathed in her mother's flowery scent as happy sobs left her. Sayuri rubbed her daughter's hair just like she had when Shima was still small.

"I've missed you so much, Shima-bird. There were so many times when I wanted nothing more than for your father and you to be home again. I was content knowing you two were together, waiting for me, but when Kakashi came to tell me you were alive I had never been so happy." Sayuri sobbed into her daughter's hair, pulling her closer.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long."

"You're here now, that's all that matters." Sayuri pulled away to get a good look at Shima. "When was the last time you had a real meal?" Shima shook her head, saying she didn't remember. "Then let's go inside. I'll make your favorite. Kakashi…" Sayuri looked to where the man had been standing. She scoffed. "That boy left without receiving my gratitude." She shook her head. "Well, I'll thank him next time he visits."

"Do you know Kakashi?"

Sayuri gave her daughter a gentle smile. The man in question had told Sayuri about Shima not remembering him as Scarecrow, the only name she ever called him, or remembering any of their time together. Sayuri thought that those would be the first memories to return since Kakashi saw her every day and had been a huge part of her little girl's past, but everything had a reason. The time wasn't right for her to know, Sayuri knew that. It would take time, but she knew Kakashi wanted her to find the puzzle pieces on her own and he was willing to wait. Sayuri would honor that.

Lowering her head, she gave Shima the only puzzle piece she could. "Kakashi was the one to find the scene of your supposed death, he was the one that came to tell me, and he was the one that told me you were alive." Sayuri let the fact that he had done those things because Shima had been important to him and Sayuri had been like a mother to him remain unsaid. Her daughter would know someday. For Kakashi's sake, the older woman hoped that day would be soon.

"Ah," Shima said offhandedly. It seemed Kakashi was the one assigned to all of Shima's cases. It was another clue to the mystery Shima was determined to solve. That man had been someone close to her, close enough to know her movements, to know her tastes, to know how to find her. She spent most of her time in his presence, but the flood of memories she usually received during contact with people from her past never happened with him. She didn't understand why remembering him wasn't as easy as it was with everyone else.

After the meal, Shima wandered around the house of her childhood with memories blooming in each room. Feeling the fabric of the couch, she could almost see her father laughing at a group of children bantering amongst each other while seated, her mother chuckling as she sat beside him. There Shima was ruffling a boy's orange hair as he tried shoving her away, another boy with long black hair laughing lightly beside them. She tried focusing on the boys' faces, but a sharp pain in her chest stopped her. The names she could taste, but not catch, left a throbbing headache in her brain. She wasn't ready to go there yet.

Her bedroom was the same as she had left it, but her father's study is where she ended up staying the longest. The scrolls he had left open were put away on the shelves; the floor once riddled with half-finished techniques was empty. Shima sat in her father's chair, imagining what it was like to work alongside him in the room he spent all of his time in. Her eyes drifted over to the corner of the room. Hanging on the wall were two katana that seemed to call for her. The light hum radiating off of them signaled chakra being channeled through them at one point in time. As her hand trailed over the sheath, her father's image came to mind wielding these same weapons.

They were well-made with excellent craftsmanship skill. The blades were light for speed in battle. The only decoration being the symbol on the hilt; the family crest of the Himura.

The Himura clan originated in the Land of Iron as samurai, but wasn't satisfied with being looked down upon by the world of shinobi. They adapted and became renowned throughout the nations as Kenjutsu masters with the ability to weave Genjutsu through their techniques with speed some shinobi only dream of, making them even more deadly. The Himura clan was said to produce the most talented swordsmen of the shinobi world. The clan was almost wiped out due an enemy's fear, but a few families escaped to hide within the Hidden Villages where their name held a lot of weight.

Her grandparents, her father, and her Uncle Tamashi were integrated within Konoha with ease due to their abilities. A Himura can pick up a sword of any shape or style and use it flawlessly. Konoha welcomed the new addition to its forces with a smile.

_Kenjutsu masters…_ Grasping the hilt, Shima gave the blade a few swings. Her muscles reacted out of memory. It was like embracing an old friend as she unsheathed the katana. She _did _ have a family technique. Shima felt renewed as she swung the blade around; she felt like half of her strength had returned. It would take some time, but she was certain that she could master the techniques as she had done all those years ago. Glancing at the shelves of scrolls, Shima made a note to read up on her father's work and possibly finish the techniques he had come up with.

"Did you find your father's old blades?" Sayuri chuckled out as she opened the study door. Hitoshi had been a much better swordsman than Shima had ever been, but he had trained her to carry on the family's technique. She was _good_ at it, but not as great as him. Still it gave her an edge along with her mother's sensor ability and Ninjutsu.

Shima nodded. "I wielded twin blades as well, didn't I?" She was ambidextrous. Her father always said being able to wield a weapon in each hand was a valuable asset to any shinobi. Shima and Hitoshi had been born with that ability. She had always been talented with the usage of kunai, now she knew why.

"Yes. You had your own set of swords, but they were lost." Sayuri let that hang in the air; both knew when they had been lost. Shima winced. "Your father would want you to have his. You always preferred them over your own."

"Can you help me train?" Shima knew her mother was still a talented kunoichi, could still be on active duty if she wanted. Sayuri's movements said she still trained when she had time if only to keep her body in top condition. Her mother wasn't one to let her skills get eroded over time.

Sayuri agreed. That day they had their first session and Shima found it easy to perform the techniques she had known as a teenager. The movements were quick, fluid. Her sword never ventured past the point she wanted it to, never strayed off of her intended path. It was simple to channel chakra through the blades, increasing their speed and precision. Her blades could cut a tree in half without any resistance. It was exhilarating.

Slinging the holster over her neck to hang over one shoulder, Shima slid her new weapons behind her left shoulder for easy access. She said goodbye to her mother to find a certain silver-haired shinobi she needed to thank. Sayuri waved her farewell, knowing she would return the next day.

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_"Are you mad?" Shima looked up into his eyes with those ridiculously round, innocent eyes. _

_ Kakashi looked away, refusing to fall victim to her eyes as he had watched her teammates do countless times. "I'm not mad." He wasn't. It took a lot more than something like this to make him angry. Annoyed…well that was a different story. _

_ "I didn't mean to slice your hair." She sipped her tea nonchalantly with her doe-like eyes still watching him. "It doesn't look bad." _

_ "That could have been my nose." _

Kakashi all but threw himself onto his bed. The bed bent to his weight, creaking slightly. The Copy-Nin stared at the ceiling, balling and releasing his fist several times to relieve tension. It wasn't a big deal, so what was his problem? Seeing Shima remember her mother so _easily_ should have been a good thing. It made him happy to see Sayuri and her together again, it did. He knew that Sayuri had waited for so long to see her daughter again and he knew Shima had wanted to see her mother since she first woke up, but there was a tingling emotion bothering him that he would never admit to.

Jealousy.

It was an ugly thing, but there was no stopping it. Kakashi was _jealous_. He was green with envy because Shima had remembered three people with the simplest of meetings. Standing in front of her father's grave, she remembered everything about the man. Hearing Anko call her by that ridiculous nickname, she remembered her old friend to the point she could joke with her like she had never left. Not even seeing her mother's face, she remembered Sayuri to the point of tears. Where was _his_ recognition from her? He saw the woman every day, thought about her nonstop, had been _embraced_ by her twice. Yet their time together never resurfaced.

It was frustrating to say the least.

The only solstice he had out of it was that she didn't remember Guy or Asuma either. Her remembering the green-clad shinobi before Kakashi would send him over an edge he refused to cross. Shima was trying to remember him; she knew they had been close. That was something, but not enough for the shinobi doing nothing but yearning to hear her call him 'Scarecrow' once more. That moment before she had collapsed, she had called him that questioningly as if she wasn't sure. For a second he thought she had returned to him, remembered him. But when he had been confronted on that rooftop, it was obvious that had been a false hope.

Slamming his fist onto the mattress, Kakashi almost growled. It would take time for him to be remembered, but how much more time was needed to remember the boy that had been by her side since she was five years old, the man that was still by her side to this day?

He was willing to wait for as long as it took, but his patience was running thin. What if she _never_ remembered him? What if he would have to live the rest of his life hiding that part of their relationship? Kakashi knew he could do it, but it might end up killing him. He was a strong man, strong enough to be placed in the bingo book with the orders to 'kill on sight'. Yet there was only so much he could go through. Slaughtering an enemy; easy. Copying a thousand jutsu; easy. Watching the woman conquering his thoughts remember everyone else besides him, watching her live her life mentally blocked from him; not easy at all.

Kakashi sat up, gripping his head. No matter what it cost him emotionally, he wouldn't give in to the desires to just _tell her_. It wouldn't have the same effect if she didn't remember it herself. The jounin sighed.

Her painful memories were the slowest to return; she still hadn't brought up her teammates, the ones she had been closest to in combat. Was his memory painful to her? That was a possibility. Kakashi didn't know, which bothered him. He wasn't in control of the situation at all. The Copy-Nin could maneuver the situation in small ways, but he wasn't pulling all of the strings. That was a problem he couldn't fix. _Annoying._

A knock on the door halted his thoughts. Looking up at the door, Kakashi felt the presence behind his door; he knew who it was. Her chakra, when she showed it, felt like the purring of a subdued lion. Kakashi left his bed to stalk over to his door, opening it without wasting a second.

"Hey," she put her hand up in a mock wave with a blank face. Kakashi walked away from the door to let her in. She stepped inside with observing eyes. Kakashi noticed the two new swords resting behind her back. It was a picture from the past to see her carrying swords again. She had found her family technique it seemed.

"What's up?" He barely got the question out before he was ambushed with another hug he wasn't prepared for. It was rare for someone to get him off guard, but Shima had done it three times now. His body didn't go rigid this time, but he instantly wrapped his arms around her in a return. Who was he to deny a hug given to him by the one woman that he didn't mind holding him so?

"I wanted to say thank you for today. It was great seeing my mom," she said against his chest. He was about to say he was welcome, because he was. The jealousy had vanished when her body had come into contact with his. But he didn't get a chance when her lips touched his cheek ever so softly.

The blush was instantly coloring his cheeks. Shima pulled away with a blush of her own that was only a tad bit darker than his. "Well…uh, that's all." She turned away to leave, taking away his bewilderment with her. Gathering himself once again, Kakashi shook away the blush and the thoughts that came with it.

"Where are you going?"

Shima gave him a victorious smile. "To see the Hokage," she gestured to the swords on her back. "I remembered my old techniques. It's time I began receiving more advanced missions." With a nod, she was gone. Kakashi took a step back, not really knowing what to think about that chaste kiss to his cheek. She was becoming more intimate with her gratitude. It made a light smirk cross his lips when he realized that even if she didn't remember him it would be alright. They could make new memories; form a new type of bond. That was okay with him as long as he was at her side. Jealousy be damned.

_"Shima-chan, Shima-chan!" Obito abandoned his spar with Kakashi in the middle of a jutsu to run over to the girl approaching the training field. The goggle-wearing ninja rushed over to her with a huge smile on his face. Shima smiled back, walking with him back to where his team stood. Kakashi fumed quietly over his chance at kicking Obito's ass being interrupted. _

_ "I'm sorry to interrupt your training, Minato-sensei." Shima bowed her head in apology. Minato just smiled, waving off her apology. He was used to Shima collecting his student at the end of their training session. Though, it was odd for her to come so early. _

_ Kakashi huffed. "What do you want, Shima? Training isn't over yet." He ignored the way Obito stood so close to her, the way he glared at Kakashi for his rude tone. It didn't bother him at all that his older teammate was so protective of Shima. It didn't bother him. At. All. _

_ But didn't he have a crush on Rin?_

_ Shima, the confident, outspoken, girl he had come to know well stood meekly as she shifted from one foot to the other. It was an odd sight. For a second Kakashi thought it was an imposter. Then he saw the bags under her eyes. _

_ She looked between Obito, Rin, Minato, and him a few times. It seemed like whatever she wanted to say to him was something she wanted to keep quiet. He nodded his head for her to follow him. He led her a distance away from his team to where they couldn't hear. "What's wrong?" _

_ "Mom hasn't returned from her mission yet…the Hokage said she hasn't made contact in three days. They sent a retrieval team, but…" But they didn't have much hope of finding her, is what Shima would have said if the lump in her throat had let her. Kakashi stiffened at the news. Sayuri could be dead. The woman that always welcomed him into her home could be dead. "Dad and I are worried sick." Shima blinked away tears. _

_ Kakashi swallowed his pride for Shima's sake, for his sake, and for Sayuri's sake. "Come on," he said pulling her by the wrist gently. He went back to his team, shielding a vulnerable Shima from view. If there was one thing she didn't like it was being seen as weak. "Minato-sensei, I'm taking Shima home. If you need me I'll be at the Himura residence." Obito went to object, but was silenced with a single glare. Rin's eyes widened at his statement. _

_ Minato put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder, proud that his student was showing compassion for a fellow shinobi. One day, maybe he would even show compassion to his own team. But Minato would take what he could get. The girl was special to his student, that much was obvious. "Alright, you can have the day off from training tomorrow." _

_His student nodded, thanking him in his own way. Kakashi wasn't one to miss out on training, Minato mused. For him to leave training early and be okay with missing a day of team training meant that the girl being shielded behind him was worth more to him than his own goals. The blond jounin internally thanked Shima Himura for bringing out the person Kakashi could be, the person he hid from the world. The girl was breaking apart the young boy's mask. _

_ Kakashi stayed with her for four days. Her father welcomed the company and together they worried over Sayuri Murasaki. After four days, a chuunin showed up on the Himura doorstep. Sayuri was alive, but injured. The three of them went to the hospital, ready to see her. It was when the room door opened and he saw Sayuri's happy face at seeing her family, him included, that Kakashi realized how much he cared for Shima, Hitoshi, and Sayuri. All of three of them were family to him, but it would be his last breath before he ever admitted it. _

_ But really…he never had to admit it. They already knew._

_._

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**[A/N]: I'm not very happy with this chapter...but I hope it's not _too_ bad. **

**Fun Fact: Anko and Shima met at a tea shop that sold their favorite sweet. They both grabbed the last stick of fresh dango. A full-out war over the last sweet snack ensued with Shima being the winner. Anko swore revenge, therefore the two were constantly sparring over sweets. Thus a friendship full of snarky comments and crazy stunts was born. **


End file.
